Your Anything
by aussiebabe290
Summary: I could be your favourite blue jeans/With the holes in the knees/In the bottom of the top drawer/I could be your little beauty queen/Just a little outta reach/Or the girl livin' next door All Bec Sanderson wanted was him. And he was gone... COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**I hope you like it! Read and review, please!**

**xoxox aussiebabe290.**

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**I could be your favourite blue jeans/With the holes in the knees/In the bottom of the top drawer/I could be your little beauty queen/Just a little outta reach/Or the girl livin' next door/I'll be your angel givin' up her wings/If that's whatcha need/I'd give everything to be your anything**

**All Bec Sanderson had wanted was him. And he was gone. **

**Your Anything**

Bec Sanderson smiled over the stack of towels she was carrying, watching Loren Power and Charley Prince jog across the sand. After three months at the boarding house, they were the first official couple- you couldn't put six hormonal teenagers in a house together for twelve months without expecting some tongues to tango. She knew that for a fact- four years ago she was one of the hormonal teenagers with a tangoing tongue. And she honestly never expected to be back at Solar Blue. The Bec Sanderson standing there was nothing like the one they had met when she was at Solar Blue. At Solar Blue she was heated and fiery, blowing up at the complete wrong time. And it usually ended badly. She was crazy and out of control, and head over heels in love. The complete opposite of who she was now. The Bec standing there was calm and collected, able to take the teasing remarks the kids made. And she was single. Single as the day she'd been born.

"Bec?" Cassie Cometti spoke up from behind her. "You okay?"

Bec almost dropped the towels in shock. "Huh?"

"Are you okay, Bec?" Cassie repeated. "You look lost".

It took Bec a minute to compose herself. "I'm fine. Sorry, you took me by surprise".

Cassie giggled. "I noticed".

Bec poked her tongue out at her. "I'm fine. I saw how hard Garry was working you lot- that reminds me, is Bridget okay?"

Cassie scrunched her forehead together. "Don't know. I'm gonna go and do some ks on the exercise bike, okay?"

"Be careful".

"Yes, Mum", Cassie teased.

Bec threw a towel at her. "Ha ha".

She headed towards the house, a small smile gracing her lightly freckled features. Yes, Solar Blue was the last place she saw herself at, three months ago. But right now, she couldn't see herself anywhere else. She loved the job, the jobs Jilly, Simmo and Deb did that she took for granted, when she was a student. She loved the kids coach, Garry Miller. He was the best decision the kids had ever made. She let the kids choose- they had a choice of Dave or Garry. Five of them like Dave. Charley liked Garry, and convinced all six of them to hire Garry. It was all Charley's fault, they said. If things turned out pear shaped, blame Charley.

It didn't turn out pear shaped.

And she loved the kids more than anything. Three boys, three girls. Loren Power was the baby of the group, the youngest and the one they all looked out for. When Bec first met her, she wasn't sure how this shy little girl was going to make it through the year. Within a week, the shyness had worn off and she was joking around just as much as the others. She reminded Bec so much of Fly Watson, the baby of her year of intakes. Loren was innocent and sweet and little, knowing a lot more than the others gave her credit for.

Cassie Cometti (most of the time they called her Pigeon, for unknown reasons. It was an old nickname) was next, one of the wildcard intakes. She was determined, accident prone (very accident prone) and fiery, blowing up at completely the wrong moments. Bec saw herself all over in Cassie. But she also saw Cassie's huge pumping heart.

Bridget Sanchez was the brains of the girls, very calm and collected. Nothing fazed her, which Bec admired most about her. Bridget reminded her a lot of Anna Peterson, the girl she hated and then loved- her future sister in law. Bridget was a hard worker and if attitude was anything, was going to win at the end of the year.

Charley Prince was the Dean Edgely of the group- the loner at the beginning, but within a week, was as close as anything with the others. He was determined to win at the end of the year, and nothing was going to stop him- not even his relationship with Loren.

Adam Bridge was the brains of the boys and as cool as a cucumber- Matt Leyland all over. He knew random facts about everything and would spout them at random intervals, always making them laugh.

Guy Spender was a charming joker, making them all laugh- especially Bridget. She was his damsel in distress. Guy was a carbon copy of Heath Carroll- the troublemaker of Bec's year. The thing she loved most about Guy, though, was that however hard he joked around, he never hurt anyone. Guy cruised along land like a second hand tractor, but the second he jumped on a surfboard, he was a Ferrari. That was Garry's exact description, and personally, Bec couldn't agree more.

"Bec!" Garry called, as Bec stacked the towels in the cupboard.

Bec almost threw the towels over her shoulder. "What is the matter with you lot today?"

"Excuse me?" Garry sounded confused.

"Everyone's sneaking up on me today!" she exploded. Granted, she was a lot more jumpy than usual, but there was no need to sneak up on her.

"You aren't paying attention to anything in life", Garry counteracted. "What were you thinking about?"

"The kids", she admitted. "What do you want? Can't you see I'm stacking towels?"

"Have you noticed anything weird about Bridget? I told her to shift her weight to her right leg and she nearly cried".

Bec thought for a second, pushing Adam's favourite towel into the cupboard. "Not really. I've noticed Charley acting like a lovesick puppy, and Loren giggling hysterically over absolutely nothing, but apart from that, nothing out of the ordinary".

"Hey Garry!" Adam called. "You know what? In some countries they won't let couples in love make important decisions for six months!"

He descended down the stairs and Garry chuckled. "Charley and Loren".

"No, nothing out of the ordinary". Bec shrugged. "I'll keep an eye out for her".

"Thanks. The girls don't tell me anything, if you've noticed".

Bec laughed out loud. The kids thought of Bec and Garry as their older siblings. Garry was the confident for the boys, and the girls told Bec everything and anything. Bec kept all their secrets, things that the boys didn't need to know, but told Garry anything that needed discussing. It worked both ways. The kids trusted Bec and Garry, and Bec and Garry trusted the kids.

"I'm going to go and lay down, okay?" Bec said. "I've got a bit of a headache". And she was telling the truth. Her head was suddenly throbbing.

"I'm going to head to the gym for a while".

"I think Cassie's down there. And I know the lovebirds are on the beach. I haven't seen the other kids". Bec shrugged and headed into her bedroom- originally Deb's. She collapsed on the double bed, burying her head under the pillow.

Thoughts of the kids reminding her of her year brought back unwelcome memories of Dean Edgely. Edge was her man that year- they had fought it for seven months. Everyone knew they belonged together. They knew they belonged together. They just didn't want to admit it to each other.

They didn't have an easy relationship. Perri Lawe, Bec's best friend and roommate, kissed Edge, and they both tried to hide it from her. _That_ little incident landed her in hospital.

Edge was also very negative at times. He was convinced their friendships were just fishbowl friendships- when he announced this Fly was horrified. Heath nearly put his pool cue through the roof. They all knew their relationships were real. So did Edge- as Matt put it, he was talking out of his backside again.

And the thing that had Bec cry in her room for three months was the fact that, on their last night (which they spent at the boat club), Edge, one of the two winners, promised he'd make Sydney his home base. He promised to come back and visit Bec, no matter what.

The straw that broke the camel's back was that, in four years, he never visited. No contact, in four years. Tears sprung to her eyes, as she looked at the photo on her table. Anna, Joe, Perri, Matt, Heath, Fly, Edge and her were on the beach, laughing. The girls were sitting on the guys' backs, as they piggy backed them along the white sand. Deb had taken the photo from a distance and Heath had put copies in the scrapbooks he made for them at the end of the year. Bec had a copy made and framed, and it had been sitting on her bedside table ever since.

Bec was over Edge. One hundred percent.

She turned the pages, to the end. Inside were photos from the announcement at the boat club, where Andrew told them the winners. Fiona Watson and Dean Edgely, come on down! Bec was ecstatic for Fly, and happy for Edge. They all were. The seven (eight including Joe) danced the night away, Fly actually falling asleep in the middle of a slow dance with Heath. He gently carried her over to the side, where he fell asleep as well. Bec woke the next morning, wrapping in Edge's arms, covered in balloons and streamers. Fly and Heath were next to them, Matt and Perri at the other side of the room, next to Anna and Joe. She loved that night, no matter how hard it was on her.

She pushed the scrapbook away, and took the other photo frame off the table. Bridget, Loren, Cassie, Adam, Guy and Charley were kneeling in front of her and Garry, with their surfboards. It was the first photo Angus had taken of the new group of intakes- the second one was on her desk in the office.

Never in a million years did she think she'd be returning to Solar Blue.

"Bec?"

There was a gentle knock at her door, and Loren's kind face poked in. Bec rolled over to look at her.

"Sorry!" Loren apologised quickly, seeing Bec's red eyes. "Did I wake you up?"

"No, no". Bec's voice was thick with tears. "What's the matter?"

"Dinner's ready. Charley and I made spaghetti".

"Oh. Okay, I'll be down in a minute".

"Are you okay? You look upset".

"No, I'm fine. You and Charley are cute, you know? You remind me a lot of one of the couples in my year".

She tactfully didn't mention the couple was herself and Edge.

"Really?" Loren asked, blushing a little. She was definitely the most bashful person Bec knew.

Bec crawled off her bed, and followed Loren down the stairs.

"Look who decided to make an appearance", Adam drawled, a playful smile on his face. Cassie punched him in the arm and Bec burst into giggles.

"Were you asleep?" Guy accused.

"Nope", Bec said.

Charley had his head in his hands, yawning.

"What's the matter with you?" Garry asked.

"I'm not hungry. And I'm tired. Can I skip dinner?"

"Sure".

Charley shuffled off towards the stairs and Bec looked at him worriedly. "I hope he's not coming down with something".

Guy sniggered.

"Guy, if you even think about making a sick joke..." Bridget warned, waving a fork at him. They had lived with Guy for long enough, and they all knew he had a joke or two for every occasion.

"I have a few really, really bad ones", Guy giggled.

Bridget glared at him.

"But I won't".

Bridget put the fork down as Guy giggled hysterically.

"I don't wanna know", Loren said.

"Me either", Cassie said.

"I do!" Adam said.

Cassie punched him harder.

"Ow!" Adam whined. "Cass-eeee!"

Guy and Bec exchanged knowing looks. They knew exactly who the next Solar Blue couple were going to be.


	2. Chapter 2

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**xoxox aussiebabe290**

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"What's going on this afternoon?" Bridget asked the next morning, when they were eating breakfast.

Garry swallowed his mouthful of coffee. "Bec's going to pick Charley up from school, because she's taking him to the doctor's. You lot, on the other hand, being our darling, fit, healthy students, will be walking home to come to training with me. We're doing timed laps in the pool- I know today's the day the video camera is usually out, but since Bec won't be here, that'll have to be tomorrow's job. If you work hard I might let you have some free surf time".

"How come Charley gets picked up from school?" Guy demanded.

"Because I'm taking him to the doctor", Bec said, putting her own mug in the sink. "We'll drive past you and wave".

"How rude", Cassie joked.

"Come on, we'll be late for school", Loren said.

They stacked their dishes in the sink and headed towards the door, strapping on their backpacks.

"Where will you meet me?" Charley asked Bec.

"At the gate you normally come out of. I'll have my car, not the mini van".

Bec and Garry both had their own cars, but the Solar Blue mini van was so much more practical when they had the kids with them. And it was also very impractical when they had one or two of the kids with them.

"Okay. Bye".

Charley followed the five other kids down the beach.

"He really doesn't look well", Garry said.

Bec shook her head. "he's Charley. He'll be good".

* * *

Bec stood at the gate, waiting for the school to finish. She had arrived early, she knew that, but did the bell really take that long to go?

_Bec, you're not in algebra any more. You've finished uni; you aren't waiting for the bell to go because you're in school! You just want to get Charley to the doctors. God, have you always been this impatient?_

She smiled, as the bell rang. There was the usual stampede of students, eager for their weekend to begin.

"Hey, Bec!" Loren said, coming out of the gate at last. She was holding Charley's hand, who was looking even worse than he had been that morning.

"Hi Loren". Bec smiled at the young blonde. "Hey guys!"

"Double science at the end of the week is pure torture", Guy said firmly. "Bec, why do they do these things to us?"

"Agreed", Bridget said quickly.

Bec stared at her. "Are you feeling okay, Bridget? I have no idea, Guy. Algebra was my hated subject".

Cassie stared at Bridget, worry written across her face. "I think, Bec, maybe you should take her as well".

"I'm fine", Bridget said shortly.

"Okay, well, train hard! We'll be home later", Bec said brightly. "Come on, Charley".

Charley followed her to the car, and climbed into the backseat, his eyes drooping- which didn't make a whole lot of sense, because he had gotten at least two more hours of sleep compared to the other kids. Bec climbed into the front seat, and started it up. "How was school?"

"Urgh. I hope there's nothing seriously wrong with me".

"We all do, Charley". Bec looked sympathetically at the boy- he looked like something the cat dragged in.

* * *

"Glandular fever?" Bec asked in disbelief.

The dreaded kissing disease. Her twin brother Joe had been sick for two months with it- in bed, asleep for most of it. Bec shuddered with the memory.

The doctor nodded. "I'll give you a prescription to get filled for your tonsils, but there's really nothing you can do except rest, Charley".

"What about Solar Blue?" Charley asked worriedly.

Bec felt a pang of sympathy. "Charley, we'll have to work it out with Garry when we get back".

"Oh". Charley looked at his hands.

"I'm sorry Charley", the doctor said.

"It's okay", he mumbled.

The doctor wrote out the prescription and handed it to Bec.

"Come on, Charley", she said.

Charley stood up and followed Bec out to the car in silence. Once he was in the backseat, he spoke.

"Bec, will I have to go back to Perth?"

"Maybe". Bec didn't want to get his hopes up about staying.

"But what about all the points I'll miss? What about the others? If I do go back to Perth, you will let me come back, right?"

"Of course we will!" Bec cried out. "We've got to sort it out with Garry and Solar Blue, though. And we've got to tell the other kids, anyway".

They drove in silence back to the house, where Garry and Loren met them.

"What's the verdict?" Garry asked.

"Is everything okay?" Loren asked.

"Loren, can I talk to Bec and Garry first?" Charley asked. Loren's face fell.

"I'll be down the beach with the others".

She disappeared around the side of the house.

"So what's the deal?" Garry asked, as Bec led the way into the office. Charley took a seat in Bec's wheelie chair and Bec perched herself on the desk.

"Glandular fever".

Garry winced. "Ouch".

"Will I have to go back to Perth?" Charley spoke up. He had been quiet the entire ride back to the boarding house, his house in Perth the only thing on his mind.

Garry sighed. "Probably, mate. I'm sorry, but it'll be best for you".

"How?"

"Bec and I have the other five to look after and they're a noisy bunch. You wouldn't be able to rest properly with that lot around. At home in Perth, you only have the one sister and you have your own room, so your parents can take proper care of you".

"Ellie's at a boarding school in Melbourne". Charley's voice was a monotone.

"We'll miss you, mate". Garry put a hand on his shoulder.

"Why don't you go upstairs and rest?" Bec suggested. "I'll have to call your parents, and we'll have to explain it to the other kids".

"Okay".

Sighing heavily, Charley headed towards the door. "This sucks".

Garry and Bec exchanged glances. "If that's Charley's reaction, imagine the others".

They headed out to the beach, where the kids were sitting on the sand.

"How was the doctor?" Bridget burst out.

"We have to talk to you".

"Sounds serious". For once, Guy wasn't joking.

"Charley has glandular fever", Garry said.

"What's glandular fever?" Cassie asked.

"It's a virus that mainly affects teenagers", Bec explained. "There's no cure for it- rest is what you need. Once you have it, you have it for life".

"Will Charley be able to stay?" Adam wanted to know.

Bridget and Cassie reached for Loren's hands.

"No, he's going to head back home to Perth. But he will be able to come back, when he's better", Garry said.

"Why can't he stay?" Loren whispered.

Bec's heart nearly melted. "Because he won't be able to rest properly here. At home, he can get the proper care he needs. All he really needs right now is sleep, which you lot are going to make sure he has. Believe me, Loren; we don't want him to go. But he really needs the rest right now".

Loren looked close to tears and Bec just wanted to hug her. She felt really sorry for her.

"Come on, I'll cook tonight", Garry said. "Macaroni and cheese is the house favourite, right? And I think Bec could whip up a salad? I'll even make my special dressing".

The remaining five teenagers followed Garry and Bec up to the house, lured by the promise of macaroni and cheese and salad, with Garry's dressing- his specialty.

"I'm going to have a shower", Loren decided.

"Boys, don't disturb Charley", Bec warned.

Garry got a packet of pasta out of the cupboard and poured it onto a saucepan. "They're really not happy. Especially Loren".

"Garry Miller, did you honestly expect them to be?" Bec demanded. "Loren and Charley are the first couple of the year- she's freakin' heartbroken! The boys will be lonely because they're losing a roommate- the roommate that in fact makes sure they actually change their sheets- and the girls are losing their piggy back champion. Charley's one of a kind, Garry!"

Her voice lowered to a screaming whisper, and Garry backed back. "Are you okay, Bec?"

"I'm fine", she said grumpily.

Charley's diagnosis plus unhappy memories of Dean Edgely equalled a grumpy Bec.

* * *

Two days after the doctor's visit, Charley was going to be flying back to Perth to be with his parents. The whole gang was going to take him to the airport, because nothing at the Solar Blue boarding house could be done quietly.

"Come on, Charley", Garry said, loading his suitcase, backpack and surfboard into the back of the van. Cassie, Guy and Bridget were in the back of the van, while Adam, Loren and Charley were behind Bec and Garry.

The drive to the airport was a silent affair. Charley held Loren's hand, comforting her through his illness. The kids in the backseat didn't say anything, and neither did Adam.

Garry parked the mini van and they tumbled out. Guy took Charley surfboard and Adam took his suitcase. Charley shrugged his backpack on, and they headed into the airport.

"Come on, gang", Bec said.

Once Charley's bags were checked in, it was time to say goodbye. The girls (including Bec) hugged him, the boys tackled him, Garry shook his hand, and Loren kissed his cheek.

"Get better soon. Promise?"

"I promise".

Charley surveyed his 'family' with a sad look in his eyes. He nodded at them. "Stay cool, gang".

"We love you Charley!" Bridget and Cassie said.

Laughing, Charley headed towards the gate.

Bec took Loren's hand. "Are you alright?" she whispered.

Loren shook her head, tears threatening to spill out of her deep chocolate brown eyes. "Nope".

She rested her head on Bec's shoulder as they headed out towards the mini van.

"But I'll survive".

"That's all we're asking".

Bec smiled at the young blonde, who did her best to smile back.


	3. Chapter 3

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* * *

"Let's have a game of pool", Bridget suggested after the washing up had been done.

Loren had cooked vegetable soup, which Bec, Garry and the four other kids had absolutely devoured. All through dinner, Loren had stared at the empty chair belonging to Charley, not touching her soup.

Charley going back to Perth was going to bring on some major changes. Instead of eight places at the dinner table, there would be seven. And the chore chart would have to be redone- it wasn't fair, Loren cooking by herself, even if she was the resident chef. She was the only one with any cooking skills to speak of.

"Okay!" Cassie agreed, stacking the bowls in the cupboards.

Loren slipped towards the stairs, quieter than a mouse.

Garry nudged Bec in the side. "The old Loren's back".

The old Loren was shy and quiet, avoiding the group a lot of the time. They loved their new Loren.

She nodded. "I'll go talk to her".

Another huge difference between her year at Solar Blue and the year she was in charge of was that Bec and Garry spoke to the kids. The kids trusted them- not that the teenagers in her year didn't trust Deb and Simmo, they'd rather talk to their roommate. When something serious was up, Deb and Simmo sent Jilly upstairs.

While the other four and Garry got the game of pool ready, Bec snuck up the stairs to Bridget and Loren's room. She tapped on the door, to find Loren leaning against the wall, hugging her beloved toy dolphin as if her life depended on it. Her chocolate brown eyes were bright with tears, as she turned to Bec.

"Loren?" Bec said worriedly.

She sat on the end of her bed, and the younger blonde girl rolled over to her. "Bec, I miss Charley!"

That was all it took for the tears to start to fall. The tears she had been holding in since they found out he was going to have to leave.

"I miss him too, Loren. We all miss him". Bec pulled the girl closer to her, and hugged her tight. "You know, you and Charley reminded me a lot of me and Edge, when we were here. But you remind me of Fly Watson. Cassie reminds me of me".

Loren tried to smile. "It's not the same, you know? Now there are seven people at the table, a seat missing in the mini van, and only five boards on the six board rack outside! We always had a partner, and now I'll either have to miss out or make a group of three".

"I know". Bec rested her chin on the top of the younger girl's head, her arms around her.

In her year, it was different. There were four girls and three boys, instead of three of each. Anna, Bec, Fly, Perri, Edge, Heath and Matt. The extra row of seats was up in the mini van, and an extra chair was always at the table. Whenever they partnered up, someone was left out. That someone was always Anna- but their problem was solved when Bec introduced her to her twin brother Joe.

Right now, Bec knew Loren didn't need to hear that. She needed comfort, and Bec was willing to give it to her if she'd take it. Which was doing. Bec didn't think it was appropriate to add, but she did anyway. Therapeutic baking was always a winner when she was recovering from her heartache. Of course, Bec was a horrible cook and ninety percent of the time, she had to dispose of her efforts. Loren giggled to herself when she learned this small fact.

"How are we going to play teams when we play pool now?" Loren asked suddenly.

Whenever they played teams for pool, it was Bec and Garry against Loren and Charley, Bridget and Guy and Cassie and Adam. She saw the problem immediately.

"I don't know, Loren".

She didn't know the answer to a lot of things. But she knew Loren wouldn't be the same until Charley came back. None of them would be.


	4. Chapter 4

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* * *

"Where are Adam and Guy?" Bec called, walking down the upstairs hallway. "And where is Garry? GARRY?"

"The boys are at the gym and Garry is in town", Bridget reported.

"Bec..." Cassie said slyly.

"Yeah, Cass?"

Bec absent mindedly flicked through the pile of magazines on the hall table.

"Tell us a story from your year".

"Like what?" Bec asked.

She often told the kids stories about her year at Solar Blue, but had no idea what Cassie was getting at.

"Who was your man?"

"Excuse me?" Bec said. She hadn't expected it to turn into a giggly gossip fest for at least a few more minutes.

"Dean Edgely", Loren said, answering for Bec.

"Excuse me?" Bridget turned to Loren.

"Bec's man was Dean Edgely", Loren repeated. "She told me the other day".

"How come you tell Loren things like these?" Cassie demanded.

Bec laughed, knowing how Cassie couldn't keep a secret if her life depended on it. She was totally hopeless.

"Fine". Cassie blushed. "So tell us about Dean Edgely. He's the pro surfer, right?"

"Yep". Bec nodded, blushing. Bridget and Loren took her by the hand and led her into their bedroom, to hear the full story. "We fought like cat and dog at the beginning of the year- he pretty much hated everyone. He was like Charley in the beginning of the year- rebelling against everything we said. Perri, Anna, Fly and I didn't know how Heath and Matt could share a room with him. Perri argued with him at every point- extremely funny to watch. Or listen to, in some cases. He was hot, I admit it. But I tried to fight it. Everyone knew I like Edge, and everyone knew Edge sorta liked me back, you know?"

Bridget put her head in her hands, a gesture that made her look a lot younger than she actually was. "So where did you get together?"

"In a hospital".

"What?" Cassie asked.

"Well, I got asked to a competition in Tahiti. It was because I had won a comp here, not because my parents knew the organisers. They did, but that had nothing to do with it. Anyway, my stupid brother Joe- you know Joe- told the gang, and they gave me the cold shoulder. Edge had some stupid exercise regime, and when I threw out something mouldy in the back of the fridge, he blurted out why everyone was ignoring me. I was fuming, and went out to the water with my board? You know how Garry and I say to never go surfing when you're angry? I initiated that rule. When you're angry you do stupid things. I went out into the water and took a monster wave that was way too big for me. I blacked out when I hit a rock, and Edge had to drag my bleeding body from the water".

Bridget winced, probably picturing the whole incident. "So technically the rule is in place because of your mistake?"

"Yes, but there's no need to go blabbing that to the world! Anyway, they all came to visit me in the hospital and to apologise- I accepted. There's only so much anger you can direct at your six best friends that you live with- remember that. And then Edge and I got together, after the others left. Apparently, his exercise regime was to distract him from me. I did everything I could to stop thinking about Edge, but your heart and your head want completely different things. I loved Edge, you know. But that's ancient history. Like the dinosaurs. Or mammoths".

"Were you sad when Edge won and you didn't?" Cassie wanted to know.

"I was pretty devastated", Bec said slowly. "He promised to come back to Sydney, and he never did. That's all".

She didn't need to throw in that she cried for three months- at the time she wasn't even aware that the body could produce so many tears. That would be just too much information for them.

"That's mean", Loren said.

"How come you don't see Edge?" Bridget persisted.

"Because, Bridget, Edge is travelling the world on the pro circuit", Bec explained. "That's why. He can't come back from Bali or Tahiti just to have dinner, its ridiculous".

Bec didn't notice the evil glint in Bridget's eye. Bridget had three brothers (two older and one younger) and was the champion schemer. She should have remembered that, but because she didn't, she ended up falling into their trap.

"What about you lot?" Bec demanded, changing the subject. "Bridget, I know you like Guy... when are you going to do something about it?"

It wasn't humanly possible to go as red as Bridget did. Her face was scarlet, and her ears were beetroot.

"Impressive", Cassie giggled.

"I do not like Guy!" Bridget protested, smiling shyly.

"You're lying". Bec grinned at her.

"Is it that obvious?" she asked weakly, heat radiating off her face.

Bec nodded. "Sorry, honey, it is".

"Oooh!" Cassie and Loren teased.

Bridget picked up a pillow and whacked them.

"I can read you kids like a book". Bec grinned. "So when are you going to do something about it?"

"What?" Bridget squawked. "Are you nutty?"

"Like a fruitcake". Bec smiled smugly.

Loren stared at her. Bec blushed a little. "It's something my grandmother always says. Usually at Christmas, and usually directed at my brothers".

"I am not going to ask Guy out", Bridget said firmly.

"Fine". Bec turned to Cassie, to watch the brunette squirm. She had a sick, sick sense of humour. "What about you? When are you going to admit you like Adam a lot more than a friend?"

Loren giggled hysterically as Cassie blushed and looked everywhere but Bec's face. "He's just a friend".

"Cass, you fell in the pool when you were looking at him", Bec pointed out gently. "Actually, in my year, Fly did that too. And then Heath dropped his copy of _Pride and Prejudice_ in after her- accidentally, of course. We scooped it out with a pool net and used Perri's hairdryer to dry it". Chuckling slightly, she added a new piece of information. "She never found out".

"You were evil!" Bridget said.

"That I was. When are you going to ask Guy out? God, you're worse than I was!"

"I highly doubt it". The words were out of Loren's mouth before she had a chance to think. She blushed, as the other two started laughing.

Bec looked at her, horrified. "What happened to the shy little Loren Garry and I met at the beginning of the year? What happened to the Loren that cried in my arms only last week? That Loren was sweet!"

"Aw, Loren!" Cassie said teasingly. She felt genuinely sorry for her friend, losing her Prince Charming for a couple of months.

Loren shrugged and Bec whacked her with a pillow.

"No, seriously, Bridget, you need to do something about Guy", Bec told her. Bridget was still unnaturally red in the face. "Otherwise someone else will become his damsel in distress. And then you'll be all upset".

"How did you find out about that?" Bridget demanded.

Bec just grinned. "I know a lot more than you think I do".

"So what happened to Edge?" Cassie wanted to know.

"He's on the pro circuit!" Bec said, surprised. "And I don't care, I'm completely over him".

"Sure you are".

Cassie, Loren and Bridget had identical knowing smirks on their teenage faces. Bec sighed, knowing they weren't going to drop the subject easily. They had learned from the best.


	5. Chapter 5

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**xoxox aussiebabe290**

* * *

"House meeting!" Cassie shrieked from the top of the stairs.

The boys came running- house meetings were only called when Bec or Garry had something really important to tell them. But since Garry was out with the girlfriend (Ashleigh) and Bec was at the shops, they figured something must be up.

"Who's ever heard of Dean Edgely?" Bridget asked quickly.

"We all have", Guy reminded her quietly. "He's a pro surfer. Garry made us watch DVDs of him, remember?"

"But do you remember how Bec always makes herself scarce when we watch those movies?" Loren asked.

Adam thought hard (causing Cassie to burst into hysterical laughter. When Adam thought hard, he stuck his lips out like a monkey). "I spose. She was always in the office. What does this have to do with us? I was making a sandwich".

"You eat too much anyway", Bridget sighed. "Bec was a student here four years ago, right?"

"Right", Adam and Guy said, unsure where she was going with it.

"You know how every year the kids get together? Cass, stop making googly eyes at Adam!"

"I'm not!" Cassie protested, even though they knew as well as she did that she had been.

"Yeah, so?" Guy said. "Spit it out, Bridge".

"Bec and Dean Edgely were together".

"They were?" Adam asked in disbelief.

"I know!" Loren agreed.

"Yeah, but on their last night, he promised to come back and he never did", Bridget added. "He broke Bec's heart, pretty much".

Guy looked horrified. "But it's Bec!"

"We know, Guy", Loren said gently.

"I think we should try and contact him", Cassie decided.

Adam nodded unsurely. "As long as Bec doesn't find out. Who knows what she'd do!"

* * *

_Hey Edge_

_We know you must get a million fan letters, but this is an ordinary letter. We are the Solar Blue class of 2008. Last year, Craig Symmonds retired from his position as head of Solar Blue. The new head of Solar Blue is Bec Sanderson- an ex student from 2005. The year you were at Solar Blue._

_From the stories she has told us, you broke her heart. All she wants to know is why?_

_Please reply!_

_Sincerely,_

_Bridget Sanchez_

_Loren Power_

_Cassie Cometti_

_Guy Spender_

_Adam Bridge_

_(The Solar Blue class of 2008)_


	6. Chapter 6

**Read and review, please!**

**xoxox aussiebabe290**

* * *

"Can someone get the door?" Garry called, about three weeks after the kids had sent the email. They had gotten no reply, and figured it had been a complete waste of time.

Usually when there was a knock at the door, they went running towards it like they were going to win a million dollars if they got there first. But that particular day, no one moved.

"I can't!" Bec shrieked. "I'm shifting the filing cabinet because I keep tripping over it!"

"How can you trip over a FILING CABINET?" Garry asked in disbelief.

"I'm accident prone! Figure it out!"

"Loren!" Garry hollered. "Get the door!"

"She's at the gym!" Cassie called.

"BRIDGET!" Bec called. "Could you please answer the door?"

"I'm getting it!" Bridget called, heading towards the front door. "Is Angus meant to be coming?"

"No idea!" Garry called. "Go on, or they'll be scared off!"

There was a crack and then a holler.

"Ow!" Bec screeched. "I think I just broke my foot!"

"Are you okay?"

Garry jogged into the office to investigate the filing cabinet and Bec's foot.

"Garry, I'm pretty sure they're already scared". Giggling, Bridget opened the front door. "Hello?"

"Hi, I'm Edge", a familiar looking person said. "Um, is Bec around?" he brushed his shaggy, sun streaked blonde hair out of his eyes.

"Oh my God", Bridget said softly. "Dean Edgely".

"Hi". Edge smiled, his whole face lighting up.

"I'm Bridget", she said, keeping her voice low. "Um, I don't want to be rude, but did you get our email or are you just appearing at our front door for no apparent reason?"

"The first one".

"Eee!"

"Is Bec around?" he repeated.

"I'll get her". Bridget turned around and raised her voice. "BEC! SOMEONE'S AT THE DOOR FOR YOU!"

Shouting from the doorway was a habit they had picked up from Garry.

"I'm coming! Who is it, Bridget?"

"Come and find out for yourself!" Bridget was grinning like the Cheshire cat.

"You aren't helping the situation, missy!"

Bec, having dropped a filing cabinet on her foot just moments earlier, limped towards the front door. The second she laid her eyes on him, her heart literally stopped.

"Hi Bec". Edge's smile was even wider when he saw Bec.

Bec's eyes grew so wide Bridget thought they would roll out of her head. "Bec? Are you okay?" she asked worriedly.

A million thoughts were running through Bec's mind.

_Oh my GOD! He's even hotter than I remember! He's tanned and blonde and gorgeous! Stop it Bec, he broke your heart! I don't care, he's soooooo cute! Why did I ever let him get away? I knew I should have followed him when he went on tour! Why did I let him go? Bec, stop it! He hurt you and he's gonna have to grovel. There's no way you're going to let him get away that easily. I don't care what your heart says! There was no contact for four years! That's almost half a decade! Was he always this muscly? Or this tall? Stop it Bec, you DON'T like him! Who am I kidding? He's a hottie!_

"Bridget", she choked out finally. "Um, could you give me a minute?"

"Sure".

With that, Bridget disappeared in the direction of the back door.

"How are you?" Edge asked genuinely.

Bec almost had an aneurism. "How are you?" she exploded. "How ARE you? That's all you've got to say?"

"I should start with hello, then?" he joked.

It took all her willpower not to slap him then and there.

"Four years", she whispered darkly. "It's been four years since we last spoke. I tried to keep in touch with you; I thought you were coming back to Sydney. I sent you text messages, emails, left messages on your voicemail... I did every freaking thing to try and keep in contact with you". She heard her voice getting higher pitched and her felt her face getting redder. "I keep in contact with all the others! At the beginning of the year, Fly came to visit to meet the kids. I regularly call Perri, and her songs are at the top of the playlist on my iPod! I have all Matt's books, and I have original Heath Carroll photographs framed around the house. And Anna is almost my sister in law- Joe went to Germany with her! They came back to Australia together! THEY'RE FREAKING ENGAGED!"

"Bec", Edge tried. But Bec wasn't letting him get a word in.

"No, I'm sick of it! I shut myself out to the world in my bedroom and cried for three months when I didn't win- no, not because I didn't win. Because YOU won and I didn't. We should have won together, gone on the circuit together, you know, kept in FREAKING contact!" she was completely hysterical. "You promised to come back to Sydney, Edge, you PROMISED! Sydney's going to be my home base, you said. I'll always come back to visit you, Bec, you said. I got my hopes up for nothing, didn't I? I was just a sixteen year old suck who fell for it and had her heart broken! Four years!"

"Bec-"

"No! There's nothing you can say that will make it better! Nothing!"

"But Bec!"

Edge sounded desperate.

"What?" she asked scathingly.

"I tried to keep in contact".

"That's bull!"

"The circuit is a busy place, Bec, ask Garry. He should know, Fly and I were on tour with him for six months. I knew you were made head of Solar Blue, Fly told me. I wanted to come back to Sydney, I did! But I really haven't had the time. Sydney's mainly the place for stop offs, I'm here for one night, maximum".

"And in the one night you couldn't have set aside five minutes to visit?"

"Bec-"

"Save it!"

She slammed the door and stalked up the stairs. Bridget, Cassie and Loren were standing at the top of them, wide eyed.

"What was that?" Cassie breathed.

"Leave it, Cass", Bec said shortly.

She felt tears welling up in her eyes and the last thing she wanted to do was break down in front of the kids. Or Garry, for that matter. She had held it in for four years, she could hold it in another four seconds.

Bec headed into her bedroom, slammed the door, and collapsed onto the bed. She reached into the bottom drawer of her bedside table, and pulled out the scrapbook she had cried over two weeks earlier.

She turned to the pink page with purple love hearts decorating it, seeing the photos of the couples in their element.

She cried.

She cried harder than she ever had before.

She put her head under the pillow and absolutely sobbed.


	7. Chapter 7

**Read and review, please!**

**xoxox aussiebabe290**

* * *

By the next morning, she was over it. She was all cried out, and was grumpy. The kids were avoiding her, and the worst part about it?

She could feel herself being unreasonable. She wanted to hide away in the bathroom, before they killed her. She was not fit for human company.

It wasn't the kids' or Garry's fault that she and Edge hadn't had any contact in four years. It wasn't their fault Edge had turned up out of the blue (although technically it was). She knew they were avoiding her, and they had a good reason to.

The boys' had missed the entire ordeal. Garry and the girls were quick to fill them in. No one went near Bec's room for the rest of the night. They were scared she might kill them. With an eyeliner or something.

She cried herself to sleep that afternoon. Bec fell asleep on top of the scrapbook, and when she woke up because she was in pain (at around two a.m), she cried again. The girls were worried. Garry was worried. The boys hadn't seen the extent of it until she walked down the stairs that morning.

"Whoa!" Garry had said, backing away.

"Leave it, Garry".

She had checked her appearance in her bathroom mirror, and it was not pretty. Her cheeks were tearstained and her eyes were red and puffy.

And she'd lied to the girls, telling them she was completely over Edge. She thought she had been, but then he went and turned up on their doorstep, bringing back extremely unwanted memories. Memories that would haunt her for the rest of her life.

"Bec, we're heading into town to see a movie", Cassie said. "Want to come?"

Bec did her best to smile at the younger girl. "I would, but I've got bills to pay and paperwork to fill out. Thanks for the thought, though".

"It's cool. Bye!"

She heard the screen door slam, and Garry lounged in the doorway. "Care to explain what happened yesterday afternoon?"

"Not really".

"Let me rephrase that- please explain what happened yesterday afternoon?"

"To cut a long story short, Edge broke my heart four years ago and now he's back".

Garry looked taken aback. "Wow. That was... unexpected".

Bec didn't look up from the computer screen.

"You cut a lot out from the yelling we heard yesterday".

"Do you want to get hurt?"

"No, I'm serious!"

"I wasn't yelling!" Bec protested. "I was simply making a point. A very loud, strong point".

"Alright then. Well, if it's alright with you, I'm going to head over to Ashleigh's place. She's making dinner, and then we're going out to watch a movie. Are you going to be alright here by yourself?"

"Garry, I'll be fine".

"The kids won't be back for a while".

"Garry, I'm twenty years old. I think I can look after myself for a couple of hours!"

_I am so not fit for human company. _

"Ooh, feisty!" he teased. "See ya".

"Bye".

When she heard Garry's car pull out of the driveway, she closed down the computer and headed into the kitchen.

In all honesty, she was feeling fragile. When Edge went on the pro circuit, she found out that the only thing that had helped her feel better was cookies and cream ice cream. There was always a tub of it in the freezer, because Garry and the kids loved it. It was one of the only foods Charley could eat when he got sick, without hurting his throat.

She dished some into a bowl (normally she'd eat it straight from the tub but she lived with six other people and had to act human-like sometimes) and headed into the lounge room. Bec settled onto the lounge (she was wearing her favourite track pants and shirt), putting _10 Things I Hate About You_ into the DVD player. It was a movie that she could watch over and over again without getting sick of it.

She was licking her spoon and really getting into the movie when her phone started to ring. Groaning, she set the ice cream aside and paused the movie.

"Hello?" she snapped, annoyed at the unknown person for interrupting her time with Heath Ledger.

"Hi, Bec", Edge said pleasantly.

She was disgusted. "What do you want?"

"Look, about yesterday-"

That was when she realised something that would add a twist to the story.

"Wait a minute! You've had my number for four years and decide to use it now?" Bec shrieked. "That is wrong on so many levels!"

"Bec, I'm sorry!" he exploded. "You have no idea what it's like on the circuit, how busy you always are! I missed you so much! At first I didn't know how I was going to live without you!"

"Then why did you stop the contact?" she asked.

She was tired of being angry. All she wanted was answers, for closure.

"I don't know! I was stupid!"

"You were", she agreed.

"Meet me for dinner tomorrow night?" he asked.

"Excuse me?"

"Please? Just so we can catch up- and dinner as friends, I absolutely swear. Although it will be my treat. I insist".

Bec considered this- it was the least he could do. "Fine. Where and when?"

"How's the Purple Iguana?" he tried. "Say, six?"

Bec was absolutely silent. The Purple Iguana was a small cafe on the main drag- it had the best hot chocolate, thick as treacle, for a really cheap price. For her year, all the Solar Blue birthday dinners had been held there, and she continued the tradition with her first lot of intakes, starting with Adam. Edge and Perri had worked there as a waiter and waitress, to earn some extra cash. But what Edge had failed to remember that the Purple Iguana had been the setting for their very first proper date. "Um..."

"Sorry, sorry", Edge said quickly. "That was stupid of me, I know. What about the boat club? Six thirty?"

"Fine".

"I'll see you then?"

"Sure".

She pressed the red 'end call' button and tossed her phone to the side. Sinking deeper into the lounge pillows, she pressed the play button on the DVD remote and watched Heath Ledger march across the screen.

_What have I done?_

* * *

There was a creak from the hallway and Bec jumped, surprised. She had been hearing only the tapping of the keyboard's keys for the past hour, and that late at night it had startled her. Bridget creeped past the office, a sheepish look on her face- it took Bec the whole of a second to work out what had happened. The third last stair had a creak.

"Bridget?"

Bridget leaped into the air, clearly not expecting it. She grabbed a pen off the bench and spun around to see who was behind her.

"Oh. Hi Bec. I didn't know you were up".

"Why aren't you in bed?" Bec wanted to know, putting an arm around the younger girl's shoulder.

"I can't sleep. I wanted a drink".

Bec nodded.

"Why are you up?" Bridget asked.

"I had to finish off some of the work I've been putting off. I was about to turn off the computer, anyway. Is everything okay?"

Bridget nodded firmly. "Yep. Why wouldn't it be?"

"Because you're acting all weird, and quiet. No offence, Bridget, but being quiet is Loren's job".

"I've just got a lot on my mind", she said quietly.

"Why did Edge come back?" Bec asked.

Bridget shrugged- a little too quickly, for Bec's opinion. "I dunno. I don't know him, do I?"

"Bridget".

It was clear Bridget only had brothers. Bec only had brothers, and in her year, was the troublemaker of the girls. Fly had six sisters, Perri had a sister, and Anna had a brother significantly younger than herself. Therefore, it was up to Bec to plot against Matt, Heath and Edge.

"Technically it wasn't my fault", Bridget procrastinated.

"You're not in trouble".

"Okay, then it kinda was my fault but kinda not?" she said. "Know what I mean?"

"Nope".

"It was Cassie's idea to involve the boys".

"Cassie", Bec growled and Bridget jumped.

"You said I wasn't in trouble!" she almost wailed.

"Oh, no, honey, you're not", Bec assured her. "Keep going, babe".

"Well... Loren really had nothing to do with this. She just thought it was sweet, the story".

"Loren is gorgeous".

"Yeah... but we didn't expect him to come over, seriously, Bec!" Bridget sounded panicky. "That part wasn't in the plan, I swear".

"I believe you, darling. Edge does things sometimes that are unexplainable".

"Everything happens for a reason".

It was something Bec had said many times, throughout the year. She didn't think the kids were listening. Maybe she had been wrong.

"You should be in bed, shouldn't you?" Bec asked.

Bridget hugged Bec and leaned her head on her shoulder. "What are you going to do about Edge, Bec?"

The brunette sighed. "I don't know".

Even in the dark hallway, Bridget could see clouds of worry floating in the older girl's hazel eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

**Merry Christmas, everyone! Read and review, please!**

**Xoxox aussiebabe290**

* * *

"Ooh, pretty!" Bridget said, once Bec emerged from her bathroom, in a flowy green dress, ending just below her knees. "But I liked the flowery one best".

"Nah, the yellow one", Cassie argued.

"Am I the only one who likes the green one?" Loren asked in disbelief.

Bec had to laugh- she knew it wasn't a proper date, but the girls had insisted on helping her choose a dress to wear. And Bec wasn't going to argue- she didn't have a clue. The three sixteen year olds were lying on her bed, on their stomachs, identical goofy grins on their faces. It was amazing, really- they were totally different in every single way, but at that moment, they looked the same. "Make a choice, I don't have all day".

"The green one!" Loren said quickly.

"Which one do you feel most comfortable in?" Bridget asked practically. "It's pretty important you're comfortable".

"Smart". Bec nodded at her.

"Wear the yellow one. It's the newest and the prettiest", Cassie said.

"Sorry, Loren. The green one is a little too fancy for this- he might actually think it's a date". Bec blushed.

"But do you want it to be a date?" Loren said.

Bec blushed scarlet, matching her pillowcase. "No!" she said firmly.

Loren exploded into giggles. "Sure, sure!"

"Loren!" Bec said.

"Denial!" Cassie, Loren and Bridget sang together.

Bec blushed even redder. "Which dress should I wear? That's all you were supposed to do. Tell me what to wear".

"The flowery one", Bridget said.

"I like that one!" Bec said, grabbing the dress and heading back into the bathroom. "And I absolutely promise it's not a date".

"Hey Bec?" Loren asked. "When's Charley coming back?"

"Hopefully soon", Bec replied, struggling to get out of the green dress. "Can someone unzip me?"

Bridget opened the bathroom door and yanked the zipper down. "Better?"

"Thank you". Bec smiled sweetly at her and waited until the bathroom door was closed before she changed into the flowery dress, one of her favourites. "You know what?"

"What?" the girls called.

"I wore the green dress to my Solar Blue presentation night. Perri, Anna, Fly and I all went dress shopping together- Andrew gave us two hundred bucks each. I fell asleep in Edge's arms wearing that dress, in the middle of the boat club floor. I'm a midget, I swear I don't grow!" Bec complained.

"It's a good thing you didn't wear that dress then", Bridget said. "He'll remember that night as much as you".

"That's really sweet". Loren sighed soppily.

"You're too soft, you know?" Cassie said, poking Loren in the side.

"Hey!" Loren protested.

Bec giggled, and slid her black flats onto her feet. She reached for her makeup bag (something she rarely used) and pulled out the black mascara, that made her hazel eyes stand out. She brushed some over her top eyelashes and then ran around her eyelid with the black eyeliner. She then noticed something that did not make her happy.

"I have a problem!" she called.

"What's the matter?" Cassie asked.

"I look like a ghost".

She had lived on the beach for her entire life, and she never tanned. She never burned, either. A slight dusting of freckles across the bridge of her nose was the only colour on her face.

Bridget swung open the door and pounced on a jar of foundation. "Cass, you better do this".

While Bec sat extremely still (not her strong point), Cassie brushed the foundation over her face so she didn't look like a ghost, as she put it.

"You look gorgeous!" Loren said.

"What time's your date?" Garry hollered up the stairs.

"It's not a date!" Bec called back. "Thank you, girls. I'll be back- I don't really know when I'll be back. Don't wait up, okay?"

"Be back by midnight, Cinderella", Cassie teased, as Bec grabbed her bag.

"Out of my room!" she said, pushing them out.

"Bec, you look hot!" Garry said, surprised, as the girls pulled Bec downstairs.

"You sound so shocked", she teased. "I can look girly, you know. Very rarely do I, but I can".

Garry blushed. "Have a nice time on your date".

"It's not a date!" she protested. "Bye!"

Laughing, Garry and the kids waved their farewells. Bec stepped along the beach, wondering what it would be like, eating dinner with Edge again. The last time they had done that was four years ago, at the last ever Solar Blue dinner, right before Edge decided to set up a tent and sleep outside and right before Bec called her parents to arrange to go home for the night. Jilly had cooked, seeing the kids were so worked up over the finals. Spaghetti and meatballs and homemade garlic bread, their favourite- Jilly's cooking was to die for.

She was so caught up in the memories of their past she nearly had a heart attack when her phone rang. "What the he-"

She fished the ringing piece of technology out of her bag. "Hello?"

"Hey sis", Joe said cheerfully.

"Joe, you nearly gave me a stroke!" she complained.

"Nice to hear your voice as well". Joe laughed. "Guess what?"

"I don't have time for guessing games, Joe; I'm running a little late".

"Edge is back in town!"

"I know".

"Oooh! That's where you're late to! A date with the ex!" Bec could tell he was frowning. "Wait, did you two ever officially break up? I don't remember hearing anything about a breakup... Anna! Did Edge and Bec ever break up? Anna?"

"Joe, enough! Is that all you wanted to tell me?" Bec was not amused. "Seriously, I don't have time for this!"

"No, that was just something I thought of. Sorry! What was I going to tell you?"

"How in the name of all that is holy am I supposed to know?" Bec sounded annoyed. "You, boy, are an idiot".

"I remember!" Joe sounded excited.

Bec sighed. "Make it quick, Joe".

"Anna and I set the date for our wedding! January sixteenth- the day after Ben's birthday".

"Congratulations!" Bec was thrilled for her brother. Then she thought it over. "You forgot that you set the date for your own wedding?"

"It simply slipped my mind. I didn't forget- I'd never forget. Why would I forget the date of my own wedding? Oh, hey Anna. No, seriously, I'm joking! Anna, I promise I'm joking- I couldn't forget!"

"Hi Anna!" Bec called.

"Hi Bec!" Anna called back, her German accent shining through. "Tell Edge we say hello!"

"I will!"

"Tell me how the date goes", Joe said- Bec could tell he was smiling.

"Joe Sanderson, you are worse than the girls!" she accused. "It's not a date!"

"Sure it is".

"Goodbye".

Bec threw her phone back into her bag and continued towards the boat club, butterflies in her stomach. The flappers she had in there were worse than the ones she'd had on the night of the Solar Blue announcement.

"Bec!" Edge called. "Hey!"

"Hi", she said shortly.

"How are you?" he smiled genuinely.

Bec nearly melted. "Good thanks. How are you?"

_STOP IT, Bec! You don't like him! It's not a date! Just a dinner. Two old friends catching up. You've done this before, just chill. _

"I'm fine. Come on", he said, taking her hand.

She kept her hands by her side. "I'm coming. So how have you been?"

"Pretty good. Busy on the circuit and all that". He grinned. "What about you, Miss Head of Solar Blue?"

"Busy running Solar Blue and all that". She grinned cheekily. "It's an awesome job".

"The blonde that answered the door the other day..."

"Yeah, um. Sorry about that". Bec blushed.

"No, it's cool. She reminded me a bit of Perri".

"Bridget? Our Bridget?" Bec asked in disbelief. "Perri? I thought she was more like Anna, personally. She's our Sunshine Coast fairy princess- we all love Bridget".

"How many kids are there this year?" he asked interestedly.

"Six- three girls and three boys- but one has temporarily left us due to glandular fever", she explained. "Loren, Cassie and Bridget are our girls, and the boys are Adam, Guy and Charley- although he's in Perth".

Edge nodded with a smile, leading Bec to a table. He pulled her chair out, and she blushed profusely.

"As a friend", he assured her. "Promise. So how's Garry?"

"He's good. He's an awesome coach; he's taught the kids so much. Loren, for example, has corrected her stature, and Cassie leans in a bit more. It's so different from the beginning of the year". Bec smiled. "The kids remind me so much of the ones in our year, you know? Charley is exactly like you, in every way. Guy's a carbon copy of Heath, a real joker. He's charming and you just can't help liking him. Bridget is like Anna, determined to win. She's got potential and if she tries hard enough, she might just make the circuit. Loren is exactly like Fly, all over. Cassie, as much as I hate to admit it, is exactly like me. She's accident prone and gets fired up easily. Adam is as cool as a cucumber, just like Matt. A volcano could erupt next door and he wouldn't bat an eyelid. And there's no Deb or Jilly or Simmo- just me and Garry".

Edge smiled.

Bec was in shock- how come the conversation could flow so easy? When they were at Solar Blue all they talked about was their futures, and even that had its limits.

"Do you still have the scrapbook Heath made us?" she wanted to know.

"Are you kidding? I take that everywhere with me". His face lit up when he smile, his piercing blue eyes shining into her hazel ones. "I've missed you, Bec".

"I've missed you too". She quickly looked down at her glass of water, twirling the straw around thoughtfully.

_NO! Bec! Stop it! You can't fall for him! Not again! You aren't sixteen anymore, you'll get your heart broken! AGAIN. Why don't you ever listen? Don't fall for it! This is NOT a date- what would the girls say if they saw you now? Scrap that, they'd be too busy with the camera. You can't let this turn into a date. Which is what you are doing. He'll break your heart- okay then, fall for him. I don't even care. Just don't say I didn't warn you. _

* * *

After dinner and dessert (they both had chocolate mud cake, which was their favourite dessert when they were dating. And just like she had when they were dating, Bec didn't finish hers), they went for a walk on the beach.

"So", Edge said. "How come you came back to Solar Blue? When we left you seemed glad to be out of there".

"Because you won and I didn't. I loved Solar Blue, it was the best year of my life. I was so upset. But I went to uni. I got over it. And whadaya know, I'm back!" she giggled slightly and then shivered. In her hurry to see Edge she had completely forgotten a jumped. Edge shrugged off his and wrapped it around her shoulders, encasing her in warmth.

"Bec?" Edge ventured.

Bec looked up at him. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry".

"It's okay", she whispered.

He kissed her lips gently, and Bec nearly melted. She kissed back, leaning on him for support- her legs felt like jelly and the last thing she wanted to do was collapse.

_NO NO NO NO NO NO NO! Rebecca Louise Sanderson, what are you doing? YOU ARE NOT SIXTEEN ANY MORE! You can't do this! Think of the kids! He'll break your heart again and you'll spend another three months hiding away from the world! Think of Garry! He gets nervous just taking the kids for a drive in the mini van without you! What's he gonna do for three months? Fine then. Don't listen to me. But don't say I didn't warn you! THINK OF THE KIDS!!!!_


	9. Chapter 9

**Read and review, please!**

**aussiebabe290 xoxox**

* * *

"See you later then?" Edge said, watching Bec slowly walk up the front steps of the boarding house.

"Yep". She flashed him a smile, as he disappeared into the darkness.

Bec fished her keys out of her pocket and unlocked the front door, as all the lights were off. She stepped into the house, abandoning her bag and shoes, heading quietly into the kitchen.

"Hi Bec!" Bridget said cheerfully.

Bec leaped about a foot into the air. "Bridget!" she cried. "You scared me!"

Bridget grinned. "Sorry. If you weren't so jumpy then I wouldn't have a problem, would I? How was the date?"

"Why aren't you in bed?" she questioned right back.

"Never answer a question with a question". Bridget grinned cheekily. It was one of Bec's sayings, and she used it often.

"Why aren't you in bed?" Bec repeated.

"I was thirsty?" she answered weakly.

There was an explosion of giggling from the lounge room.

"Loren. Cassie. Are you two thirsty as well?" Bec asked, pretending to be annoyed, as the other two girls came into view.

"Yes?" Cassie said, sounding more like she was asking a question rather than answering one.

Adam, Guy and Garry followed the girls out of the lounge room.

"Oh, God, this is like my teenage years all over again", Bec said with a groan. Whenever she was out with a boy, date or not, her parents and two brothers would wait up until she came home. She saw right through them- there was only so many cattle documentaries a person could watch. "Is date watch a team sport now?"

"Yep". Garry nodded. "You and the kids do it when I'm out with Ashleigh!"

"So?" Bec asked, not seeing the point.

"I'm just repaying the favour". Garry smiled. "So, tell us! How is the boyfriend?"

"Whoa, back up!" she held up her hands. "Okay, first, he's not my boyfriend. Second, it wasn't a date. Third, why aren't you lot in bed?"

"First, he is the boyfriend, second, it was a date, and third, it's a Saturday night and they're sixteen years old", Garry answered. "I don't know about you, but I'd prefer them be awake at home then be out partying".

"You sound like my father!" Cassie complained.

"True". She shrugged. "What have you been up to?"

"We played pool", Guy said, "And Bridget sucked worse than usual!"

Cassie whacked him. "Be nice!"

"Sorry", he said automatically.

"And we were playing Wii games", Adam finished.

"Wii Sports champion!" Garry yelled, pumping his fist in the air. Bec had to laugh- Garry was soooooo modest.

"No, seriously, how was the date?" Bridget wanted to know.

The girls weren't going to leave her alone until she gave them the details. And she wasn't going to give them the details.

"What time is it?" she wanted to know.

"You made it back from the ball just in time, Cinderella", Cassie said. "It's five to twelve".

Bec blushed. "We went for a walk, okay?"

"Where?" Bridget persisted.

"Who wants a Milo?" she asked, ignoring Bridget.

"Me!" Guy screamed. "And do we still have those biscuits that Adam was eating?"

"I wasn't eating any biscuits", Adam said, confused. "We don't even have any biscuits!"

"Oh wait, that was me. And I think I ate them all... never mind!" Guy giggled sheepishly.

"Come on, who wants to verse the king?" Garry asked.

"Me!" Adam cried.

Laughing, Bec and the girls retreated into the kitchen. Bec took out the milk, and Loren reached into the cupboard for the Milo. Bridget leaned on the bench, her head in her hands.

"Tell us how it really was, please?"

Bec laughed. "You really are persistent, aren't you?"

"You're like the older sister I've never had!" Cassie stuck her bottom lip out. "Big sisters are meant to tell their little sisters everything!"

"You're like the sister we've never had!" Loren cried, speaking for Bridget and herself. They only had brothers (Loren had a twin and Bridget had three, one older and two younger. Cassie had three younger sisters).

"God, Garry thinks your innocent", Bec murmured. The girls grinned at her, keeping up the 'innocent' act. "Nothing happened, I swear. And Cassie, you don't tell your sisters anything!"

"Then why are you blushing?" Bridget sang. "And she doesn't, I know".

"I do too!" Cassie yelped. "Sixteen year olds aren't meant to tell little snoops anything. And they're little snoops".

"You are too sweet for your own good Bridget", Bec told Bridget. She poured enough milk for seven mugs of Milo into the saucepan that was sitting on the stove, and handed Cassie a wooden spoon. "Stir".

"Only if you tell us the details".

Bec sighed. "We ate dinner, we ate dessert, and went for a walk on the beach- why are you lot running around in shorts? It's so cold!".

"Aw", Loren sighed. "He gave you his jacket, didn't he? That's so sweet!"

"Loren, back up!" Bec laughed. "Nothing happened- not really, anyway".

"Not really?"

Bridget's, Cassie's and Loren's eyes bulged so far out of their head Bec was afraid they were going to land on the floor.

"Nothing", she assured them, a smile on her pretty features. "I absolutely swear".

The girls rolled their eyeballs back into their heads and Cassie resumed stirring the milk. Bec stuck her head into the pantry, ferreting around for the Arnotts Family Pack she had bought earlier that day.

"Oh, and guess what?" she added.

"Yeah?" Bridget asked, placing the mugs onto the tray they rarely used.

"Anna and Joe set the date for their wedding!" Bec was a lot more excited than she had been when Joe had first told her.

"That's awesome!" Loren cried.

"I know!"

"Is our Milo ready?" Garry called.

Cassie stirred the bubbling milk even faster. "Almost!"

"We're coming!" Loren added. Cassie handed her the saucepan and the resident chef (Loren) poured the milk into the mugs. Bridget, the most coordinated of the girls, balanced the tray carefully as she carried it into the lounge room.

Bec sat down next to Garry, tucking her legs under herself, and leaned back to observe the 'family'. Adam and Guy were battling it out on Mario Kart, while Bridget and Cassie egged them on. Loren was leaning back on the chair, staring at the screen without seeing it- their little dreamer girl, Garry called her. Garry was laughing hysterically at Adam's pathetic attempts to beat Guy, and Cassie was shrieking.


	10. Chapter 10

**Happy New Year! Read and review, please!**

**xoxox aussiebabe290**

* * *

"Remember, Bec and I have a meeting with Angus tomorrow", Garry reminded them, "So there's no training".

"Are we complaining?" Guy asked teasingly.

"Good night, guys", Garry said sternly.

Adam and Guy, laughing, retreated to their bedroom. "Night Garry! Night girls! Night Bec!"

"Good night boys!" Bec called. She then turned to the girls. "Good night".

"Night Bec!" they sang. "Night Garry! See ya in the morning, boys!"

Bec and Garry had to laugh when all three girls headed into Loren, Bridget and Cassie's room.

"Normally I'd object", Garry said, chuckling. Bec and Garry were very lenient, letting them do almost whatever they wanted as long as it was legal and not harmful to them, but they were strict with training. Surfing was a serious business and they both wanted the kids to do well.

"Leave them be for the night", Bec smiled. "One of them will crash on the floor, I can guarantee it".

Their late night pillow fights always ended up with someone falling asleep in the middle of the floor, and the first to wake up tripped over them. It was late night pillow fight tradition- Bec knew from her year, because it was always Fly and herself that fell asleep on the floor.

"See ya in the morning, Bec".

"Good night, Garry".

Smiling, Bec went into her room, closing the door behind her. She flicked off the main light and turned on the lamp, sliding under the doona. She reached into her drawer, to pull out the infamous scrapbook Heath had made. Turning to the page of couples, she smiled. After working everything out with Edge, she could look at that page and be happy. They were in their element.

* * *

"Ten bucks says she'll admit something's going on by the end of the month", Bridget said to Loren, once Cassie had slipped into her own bedroom.

Loren was unsure- and very, very sleepy. "How can you be so sure?"

"I just am- trust my instinct. My instinct is never, ever wrong. Ten bucks?"

"I hate it when you're so sure about yourself", Loren grumbled, hugging her toy dolphin closer.

"Is that a yes?" even in the dark, Loren could see Bridget's bright blue eyes sparkling.

"Fine", Loren said, reaching over to slap her roommate's hand. "Good night, Bridget".

"Night Loren".

There was a tap on their bedroom door and Bridget jumped. One thing that the guys had noticed about the girls, all of them including Bec, is that when they were tired they were jumpy. In Cassie's case, even more than usual.

"Good night girls", Bec said sleepily, standing there in a black singlet and bright pink, yellow and green striped pyjamas pants.

"Night Bec", Loren and Bridget whispered, trying not to giggle.


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry I've been so slow to update, we went away and I've been busy. Read and review**

**Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

Bec had been getting text messages from Edge since their dinner, two nights earlier. And she always replied. She wanted to see him. There was just the one small issue.

She couldn't see him without the kids getting suspicious. Which she wanted to do. So she resorted to her old methods. She had used it numerous times when she was a student at Solar Blue- the old climbing out the window trick. And it was going to be a whole lot easier without a roommate. Bec loved Perri to pieces, but she always woke up sitting bolt upright, thinking someone was breaking into their room. Her eyes would widen when she saw the dark shape crawling through the window, and she'd open her mouth to start screaming the second Bec fell in the window. She never did, of course, because Bec would always land with an, "Ow! Dammit!" and Perri would relax.

The escaping plans never resulted in a good night's sleep for either of them.

But there she was, throwing her thongs out of her bedroom window, and swinging herself out after them.

Garry was standing at his bedroom window, watching Bec land with a soft thump on the grass below. Smiling, he headed towards the door. "Is anyone else awake?"

Cassie came out of her bedroom, looking sleepy. "Garry, its twelve thirty!"

"It's also school holidays, so training begins later", Garry pointed out.

Bridget, yawning, came out to see what all the fuss was about. "What is going on?"

He hauled Bridget, Cassie and the three other sleepy kids towards the big window, only to see Bec creeping across the front lawn.

"We have an escapee".

Guy was suddenly wide awake. "I knew it!"

"And I don't think she's going to get pizza, either", Adam said.

"Pizza's the last thing on her mind". Cassie's once sleepy blue eyes were gleaming.

"She's going off to meet Edge! It's not even the end of the month and you owe me ten bucks!" Bridget said gleefully, holding out her hand to Loren. "Cough up, sister".

Loren sighed. "I hate you when you're right".

Bridget flashed the pearly whites her way, and then smiled innocently at Garry. Garry just shook his head, trying not to smile. The girls had him wrapped around their little fingers.

"You took bets?" Adam said in disbelief. Then he turned to Guy. "Why didn't we think of that?"

Guy shrugged.

Bridget was triumphant.

"Okay, what are we going to do?" Cassie said.

"She can't know we know she's seeing Edge", Garry said firmly. "We'll just wait by the big window- not in a stalkerish fashion- until we see her creeping across the lawn, and then we'll go and wait in her bedroom. It won't even scare her or anything- well it will, but just enough to get the truth out".

* * *

"Bye Bec", Edge whispered.

"I can't believe I have to climb out my bedroom window just to see you!" she whispered back. "I'll tell the kids, and then we can meet in the daylight, like normal people".

Edge grinned at her, his blue eyes sparkling. "Okay..."

"See ya!"

She pecked a quick kiss on his lips and hurried towards the house. The newly rekindled couple had been sitting on the beach talking for two hours. That was the longest time she had ever spent on her sneaking out missions as a student, and she wasn't about to extend it for a boy. She liked sleeping- a lot. She padded along the grass, completely unaware of the twelve eyes above, watching her every move.

Bec aimed carefully, and one by one, threw her thongs in her open bedroom window. She grabbed onto the pipe, her toes gripping the side of the house. She swung herself up and into the window, where she found Garry and the kids waiting.

She screamed so loud she almost woke the dead.

"Oh, hey Bec", Garry said casually, as if it happened on a regular basis. "So tell me- do you go out for late night strolls often? Especially ones that last until two thirty in the morning?"

"Are you TRYING to kill me?" she hissed. "I could have fallen to my death!"

"You have some explaining to do", Garry said simply.

"Why aren't they in bed?" she demanded, climbing completely into the room.

"Oh, no", Adam said. "You aren't getting rid of us that easily".

She stared at them so angrily they hurried out of the room. "Good night, Garry! Night Bec!"

"Night guys", Garry said cheerfully.

"Good night", Bec said shortly. She closed the door and turned back to Garry. "Why were you in my bedroom?"

"We saw you sneak around the side of the house. Is it a regular occurrence? You know, we're living with six teenagers. We're supposed to be role models for them. And how's that gonna work if you're climbing out your window every night? What are they gonna think?"

She shot him a Look and he almost backed down.

"I haven't snuck out my bedroom window since I was sixteen", she admitted. "I was never caught by Simmo or Deb- Perri was the only one who knew. I snuck out to see Edge, I'll admit that. And you snuck around to see Ashleigh at the beginning of the year!"

"In the daylight", Garry reminded her. "And I never climbed out my window".

"That's nice".

Garry yawned. "Well I'm going to bed- I can't wait until breakfast tomorrow!"

"Enlighten me why".

"You're going to have to explain to the kids why you were climbing in your window at two thirty in the morning!" Garry chortled. "Nighty night!"

"Oh, go away!" she pushed him out the door.


	12. Chapter 12

**Read and review please!**

**xoxox Rhyleigh**

* * *

"Good morning Bec!" Cassie sang.

Bec sighed- Cassie was usually the sleepiest out of the kids. Not that morning. No such luck in the Solar Blue household.

"Morning, Cassie".

"How's Edge?" Bridget ventured.

"Wait until the boys come down".

Right on cue, Adam and Guy trooped into the kitchen. Grabbing a bowl, Adam slid into his seat. "Morning all! Training was good this morning, wasn't it?"

"Adam, drop the act", Guy warned. "She's going to tell us, and there you are, pretending to act all dumb again!"

"Guy!" Bridget reprimanded.

Guy quietened instantly.

"Okay, we're going to start from the beginning", Bec said, taking a sip of her orange juice. "You're going to want to know the whole story anyway, so here it is. As you've already found out, every year, the Solar Blue kids get together. It's inevitable. Edge and I were together in my year- we fought for seven months, but ended up getting together at the hospital. Very unexpected, but I didn't fight it any longer. When Edge won at the end of the year, he made a promise to make Sydney his home base, to come back and visit me. I was devastated that I didn't win- but now, I know that the circuit wasn't for me. I wouldn't have been able to handle the lifestyle, and I wouldn't be here. But I thought the world had ended. I cried for three months, locked away in my bedroom. Now I'm NOT saying, that if you don't win this year, to do that".

"She's right", Garry added. "Four out of six of you aren't gonna win".

"But I did. Then I was accepted into a uni, in Queensland. In the four years I was at uni, I never heard from Edge. I thought about him all the time, and tried to keep contact. He didn't. That's why I overreacted the other day, slamming the door in his face. And you know how I insisted how the dinner at the boat club wasn't a date? Well, it sorta was. I didn't want it to be, but that's how it turned. But the point of my story is, DON'T climb out your bedroom window to get to a boy- or girl. I just didn't want you to find out".

Her face was bright red, as she looked down into her glass of orange juice.

"I have a question!" Guy announced.

Bridget shot him a look.

"Yeah, Guy?" Garry said.

"Can I puh-lease have his autograph?" he begged. "I mean, apart from Garry, I've never met a pro circuit surfer!"

"What about Fly Watson?" Cassie reminded him.

"Oh yeah. Apart from Garry and Fly!"

"I'm sure I can arrange that". Bec smiled at the kids, for being so amazingly understanding.

She was glad she didn't get onto the circuit. If she had, she wouldn't have met the kids.


	13. Chapter 13

**Read and review, please!**

**Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

"Would it be okay if I invited Edge for dinner tonight?" Bec asked shyly at breakfast.

Bridget looked up, and doing that, sloshed milk over the side of the bowl. "Yes! Yes! That's okay, isn't it?"

Bec wiped the sponge over the milk and threw it at the sink. "Does anyone have any objections?"

Guy surveyed the table. "Nope. No one. What time is he coming 'round?"

"Who's cooking tonight?" Garry asked.

"I am", Loren spoke up quietly.

"How about I invite him for six?" Bec suggested.

"That sounds good", Adam said.

"Bec, can we go out for a picnic today?" Guy said. "I promise we'll be back by three thirty to do our chores and get ready for when Edge comes".

"That's fine. Garry, any objections?"

"Nope".

While the kids ate breakfast, Bec went into the office and punched Edge's number into the phone.

"Hey", Edge said cheerfully- Bec suspected he had just come back from his morning run. That always put him in a good mood.

"Hey Edge", she replied, just as cheerfully.

"Bec!" Edge sounded pleased. "How are ya? To what do I owe this call to?"

"Okay, firstly, who even says that? And secondly, I was wondering do you want to come over for dinner tonight? The kids are dying to meet you and I don't want to be the blame for five dead teenagers".

Edge was smiling- she could tell. "I say that and I'd love to. I'm looking forward to meeting the kids- you've told me all this stuff about them and yet I don't know them personally. What time?"

"Six?" she suggested. "The kids are going out today, but they'll be back. Loren's cooking, which is lucky, and it should give the other kids enough time to make the house look half decent".

"Ah yes, school holidays". Edge laughed.

"They're bored. They live on a beach and are training even more, but when it's raining they're cooped up in the house, picking on each other. Adam finds the fact that Bridget puts milk in the bowl first instead of the cereal absolutely hysterical and uses that against her in every opportunity".

"Like you and Heath and the birds?"

Bec gave a full body shudder- she was deadly scared of birds and Heath Carroll had teased her every moment of the day. "Yep. Like Heath and the birds".

* * *

"Everything has to be perfect!" Bridget commandeered, hands on her hips. Loren and Cassie stood behind her, in identical poses.

"Girls!" Bec called. "Calm down! There's plenty of time!"

"But it has to be perfect, Bec!" Loren protested.

"My little romantic", Bec smiled. "No, girls, seriously, calm down. Take deep breaths and slow down, Bridget's gonna have a heart attack".

"Okay", they sighed.

"I'm going to go and check on dinner", Loren told the, before heading down the stairs.

It was at that moment that Cassie saw Adam come out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. Her eyes bulged.

"Adam! Get dressed!" she hollered.

"Cassie!" Garry yelled from downstairs.

Cassie slunk downstairs, afraid what he was about to tell her.

"Cassie Cometti", Garry said. "You're gonna have a heart attack! There's plenty of time before Edge gets here- God, one would think he's your boyfriend!"

In the kitchen, Loren burst out laughing. Really, only Garry would say something like that.

* * *

There was a knock at the door and everyone in the Solar Blue boarding house lost their minds.

"I'll get it!" Bec said, moving towards the front door as Cassie tumbled headfirst down the stairs. "God, Cass, can't you go one day without injuring yourself?"

Cassie looked up at her sheepishly. "Sorry, Bec". Adam pulled her to her feet.

"Careful, Pigeon", Garry warned. 'Pigeon' was Cassie's nickname, and had been long before she made it into Solar Blue. No one knew how she got it, all they knew that it had stuck.

"Hey Edge", Bec said cheerfully, opening the door.

"Hey", Edge said warmly, wrapping her into a hug. "It's cold out there tonight! You look gorgeous".

"You don't look so bad yourself", she teased gently. "Come on in. These are the kids. Bridget".

"Hey", Bridget said.

"Loren", Bec introduced.

"Hi", Loren giggled quietly.

"Adam".

"Hey, nice to meet you". Adam shook Edge's hand enthusiastically.

"Guy", Bec added.

Guy pumped Edge's hand up and down. "Bec, I know I promised and said I'll wait until after dinner but can I please have your autograph?"

"Sure", Edge said, sounding amused.

"And that's Cassie", Bec finished.

Cassie giggled uncontrollably, just managing to wave. Adam shot her a Look.

"Nice to meet you all", Edge said politely. "Hi Garry, nice to see you again!"

"You too, mate, you too". Garry shook Edge's hand. "How's everything on the circuit?"

Bec closed the front door, as they headed into the lounge room.

"God, nothing's changed", Edge remarked.

"Actually, it just looks the same", Bec said. "Everything's totally different".

"Lounges are about as comfortable as they were four years ago!" Edge said, pulling Bec down with him. She sat on her feet, resting against her boyfriend.

"Probably", she agreed.

Loren slipped into the kitchen, to check on dinner.

"So. Tell me. How is everything?" Edge said. "Sorry, it's just Bec has told me, like, everything about you and it was like I already knew you. Even though we met approximately thirty seconds ago".

Adam smiled. "Everything's been good, man".

"There's a comp soon", Guy added.

"Cool! A local one?"

"we're driving four hours", Garry said.

Edge laughed. "I gather its not a local one, then!"

"Dinner's ready!" Loren called.

They entered the kitchen to find a casserole dish full of beef stroganoff and a pan of rice.

"Smells good, Loren!" Edge complimented.

"She's the chef", Bec said, making the blonde blush. "Aren't you, hon?"

Cassie started giggling, as they took their usual seats at the table.

"I'm assuming this is Charley's chair?" Edge guessed.

Bridget nodded.

"Have you heard from Charley lately, Loren?" Garry teased.

Loren blushed harder, as Adam served rice for her. "Nope".

"Neither have I", Bec said.

They continued to eat and chat, like they'd known each other for four centuries.

* * *

"Well", Edge said, standing up. "I better be going, I'm working tomorrow. Bec?"

"I'll walk you out". Bec stood up and moved closer towards Edge.

"It was nice to meet you all", Edge said politely, addressing the kids.

"You're going to have to come over when Charley's back", Adam spoke up.

"Yeah, I will", Edge smiled. "Bye Adam, see ya Guy. See ya another time, girls".

"Bye", Cassie said cheerfully.

"See ya!" Bridget added.

"Bye", Loren whispered.

Edge and Bec headed towards the door, hand in hand.

"I'll be back in a minute!" Bec called, as they heard the front door slam.

"Don't do it", Garry said, laughing.

But he too was heading towards the big window.

Edge leaned in to kiss his girlfriend when she suddenly turned away. He was bewildered.

"Bec?"

"Teenagers. And Garry", she mumbled. "Walk. Fast. Away from the house. Let's go down to the beach. Right now. Run. Go, go, go!"

Edge, laughing, pulled her down to the beach- like he had when they were sixteen.


	14. Chapter 14

**Read and review, please!**

**Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

"Hello?" Bec reached for the phone, since no one else was home. Garry had gone for a run on the beach and the kids were at school, while she filled out more and more of the paperwork Angus insisted on sending.

"Hi Bec!" Charley said cheerfully.

"Charley! How are you! Are you feeling better?" she asked, surprised to hear his voice. It was usually Loren he spoke to- she gave the gang the updates.

"Much better. I still go to bed really early, though. But guess what?" he sounded excited.

"What's going on, Charley?" Bec was immediately suspicious.

"I was at the doctor's about an hour ago, and he gave me the go ahead! I can come back to Solar Blue!"

"Charley, that's awesome!" Bec said excitedly. "When are you coming?"

"Well I'm on the net now- I'm taking the first flight. There's a flight for two o'clock, which means I'll be arriving at Sydney at about five. And then there's one for three- can I take the two o'clock? Then I'll be back for dinner".

"Charley, that's perfect. Just in time I'll get Garry to come and get you, okay?"

"Thanks, Bec. Could you not tell the others? I mean, like Loren and Adam and all them?"

"Oh, sneaky!" she teased gently. "That's great news, Charley, I'm really excited! And you have no idea how happy Loren will be- I promise I won't tell them. Do you want anything special for dinner?"

She could tell Charley was smiling. "what's the plan for tonight?"

"Spaghetti".

"Is Loren cooking it?"

"Cassie and Adam are".

"Oh. I love spaghetti! Yeah! Let's have spaghetti! Thanks Bec. I'll see you later?"

"Bye, mate". She put the house phone down and reached for her mobile, to send Garry a text.

_The last kids coming home! Youll be at the airport at 5. B._

Thirty seconds later, Garry came into the office. "Charley's coming back?"

"Got it in one!" Bec said brightly. She hugged him excitedly. "Do you have any idea how glad the other kids are going to be?"

"Loren especially", Garry grinned. Loren had been pining ultimately for Charley.

"My point exactly. Wanna give the kids a lift home? The bell'll go soon".

So in honour of Charley coming back to Solar Blue, Garry and Bec clambered into the big orange and white mini van, to go and collect the other five.

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Bridget demanded, sliding open the door. "Is everything okay?"

"What's happened?" Cassie asked, sticking her head in the door, over Bridget's shoulder.

"Are you both okay?" Loren asked, her head under Bridget's arm.

"Does something have to be wrong for us to pick you up?" Garry laughed, as the kids climbed in.

The boys nodded, and Loren recited all the times one or more of the kids had been picked up from school.

"There was that time Guy was arrested, and the time Charley had to go to the doctor's and had to go back to Perth, and the time Cassie stuffed her foot and was on crutches for like, three weeks, and the time we had to go and visit Cassie in the hospital because she fell off a cliff and there was the time..."

"Loren, Loren, Loren!" Bec interrupted. "Honey, we get it. We've only picked you up when there's something wrong. But no, there is no reason. Apart from the fact training will be ending earlier today, due to the fact that Garry has to go into the city".

"Why do you have to go into the city?" Adam wanted to know.

Garry shrugged, in a flat out lie. "Angus said I have to meet him in the city, there's no big deal. I'll be back in time for dinner, make sure there's something good!"

"Do guys only think about food?" Cassie asked in disbelief.

"It's obvious you only have sisters", Bridget teased gently. "I have three brothers and they spend half their lives eating".

"Shut up!" Adam said defensively.

"Nah, it's true, mate", Guy said cheerfully.

* * *

"Why's Garry going to the city?" Guy wanted to know, as he dripped on the veranda.

"Guy Spender, are you actually complaining that training ended early?" Bridget laughed.

"Garry has to go and pick someone up, Angus said", Bec said, not letting anything else slip out. "That's all I know".

"I bet it's the big boss man", Loren said confidently.

"Probably", Cassie agreed. "Who's cooking tonight?"

"Adam and you are, Cass", Bec informed them. "Spaghetti. Everything's in the fridge- go and have a shower; you're dripping sand all over the clean kitchen floor".

Bridget and Guy headed up to the bathrooms and the other three went out onto the veranda, waiting for the showers to be free.

"They are so gonna love this". Bec smiled, as she retreated to the office, awaiting the long anticipated arrival of their sixth and final kid. Having Charley back would bring everything back to normal.

* * *

"Guys!" Garry called, opening the front door. "Come on, it's your long lost friend time!"

It was Cassie that made the connection, without even seeing their beloved Charley.

"Charley!" she screamed, running towards him and throwing her arms around his neck. Charley responded enthusiastically, lifting her off the ground. He was a lot more lively and cheerful than the sad, sick boy that had left, a little over three months ago.

"Hey Cass!" he laughed.

Adam and Guy were in shock, coming out of the pool room.

"What are you doing here, man?" Adam wanted to know.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Guy demanded.

"Hey stranger!" Bridget laughed, hugging their long lost best friend.

"Bec, where's Loren?" Charley wanted to know, spying the head of the house come out of the office.

"Hello to you too!" Bec laughed. "Yeah, I'm good thanks, Charley, good to see you too! She's out the back; I'll go and get her".

"Okay, thanks!"

"She'll be pretty devastated", Cassie commented, as Bec headed towards the back door. Loren was sprawled on the grass, methodically rubbing the wax up and down on her surfboard.

"Loren?" Bec said softly.

Loren jumped a mile- she was clearly a world away. "What the- oh, it's just you, Bec".

"Sorry, sweetie. Didn't mean to scare you- there's someone you've been missing a lot in the house, waiting for you. He's pretty glad to be back, actually".

"Are you serious?" she asked, putting the wax down.

"Loren, would I joke about something like this?" she laughed.

Loren took off towards the house, screaming. "!"

"Loren!" Charley caught her as she leaped into his arms. Charley spun her around, a smile a kilometre wide on his face. Charley kissed Loren's lips like he'd never let them go, and shy little Loren didn't try to stop him.

"Wooo!" the kids teased.

Garry and Bec were laughing.

"You have no idea how much she's missed you", Bec said, as Charley put his girlfriend down.

"Bec, I found him wandering the airport", Garry said jokingly. "Can we keep him?"

Everyone laughed, as Charley headed into the lounge room to catch up with the others.

* * *

"Okay, so tell me", Charley said, once dinner had been served. "What have I missed? How many points are you lot on?"

"They don't know, seeing it'll be halfway pretty soon", Garry said. "Oh, and do you remember Dean Edgely?"

"Garry, I haven't met the pro surfer", Charley said, confused. "It'd be really cool if I had though- what? What did I miss?"

Cassie, Guy, Adam, Bridget and even Loren were giggling. Bec's face had turned bright red and she was staring down at her plateful of spaghetti like it was the most interesting thing she had seen in her entire life.

"What's going on?" he asked suspiciously.

"He was here for dinner last night", Guy informed him.

Charley choked on a strand of spaghetti. "Excuse me?"

Garry had a smile wider than the Luna Park entrance on his face. "Well", he said, enjoying watching Bec squirm. "It seems our little Becky has a bit of a thing for Edge!"

"Becky?" Charley echoed. "Edge?"

Bec sent death stares down across the table at Garry.

"A teenage romance rekindled after four years". Loren sighed happily. "Four years, Charley! And guess what happened when Bridget answered the door?"

"Ooh, can I tell this part?" Cassie asked eagerly. "It's my favourite".

The death stares swapped from Garry to Cassie, as the girls, Garry, Adam and Guy laughed.

"What happened?" Charley wanted to know. "Man, I'm away for, like, a quarter of the year and everything important happens!"

Bec was scarlet. "Cass, I don't think this is really necessary".

"It is", Garry nodded.

"Bec screamed the bajeebies out of Edge and then slammed the door in his face!" Cassie said gleefully.

"But then she went on a date with him", Garry said. "The boy loves her. And she loves him".

"Okay", Charley said slowly, still trying to process the information. "Hey, do I get to meet him?"

"Are you kidding?" Adam said. "The poor guy's heard nothing but stories about you from Loren".

Loren blushed. "That is soooooo not true!"

"That is soooooooooo true", Guy argued, making Cassie giggle.

"And he and Ashleigh are both coming over for dinner on Saturday night", Bridget said, settling the issue. She was good like that.


	15. Chapter 15

**I am so sorry for not updating! Read and review, please.**

**Love Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

There was a slight pinging sound, jolting Bec out of her very sound sleep. Sitting up in her bed, she flicked on the lamp to check out what the pinging was.

Her irrational side took over, when she heard it get louder.

"Oh my God I'm gonna die!" she yelped, half expecting Garry to burst in the door with a shotgun, to kill her murderer before it killed her.

Garry was nowhere to be seen.

"Daddy!" Bec whimpered.

Grabbing a pillow to hide behind, she shakily made her way towards the window. Of course she'd be in the room with the window that didn't lock properly- it was just typical. Deb had mentioned it at breakfast morning when she was a student, and she hadn't thought twice about it. Right then, it was all she could think about.

"Juliet!"

"What the hell?"

Bec peeped out her window, scared to blink.

"Juliet!" the shadowed figure called.

Everything soon fell into place, as Edge grinned up at her.

"Edge, what are you doing- apart from trying to kill me?" she wanted to know, in a harsh whisper.

"Hey Bec!" he said cheerfully.

She squinted down at him. "Are you drunk?"

"Climb down, Bec".

"Are you drunk?"

"I'm not drunk!" he argued.

Bec, sighing, reached for her jumper and thongs. She tossed them out the window and slid herself down the side of the house. Giggling like a child, she let Edge sweep her into his arms.


	16. Chapter 16

**I know its short, but its still an update! Read and review, please!**

**Love Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

"Bec, Ash and Edge are here!" Cassie called, letting them in.

"Hey Cass", Ashleigh said cheerfully.

"Hi Ashleigh!" Cassie said brightly.

"How are we all today?" Edge greeted the kids. They were in the pool room, watching to see if Bridget had improved any since the beginning of the year.

She hadn't.

"Hey Edge", Bridget said breathlessly, glad to have an excuse to stop the game. "Come on, you lot, we have to go and be social".

"Spoilsport", Adam said to Edge jokingly. "We were getting right into that!"

"Sorry, mate", Edge said, not sounding sorry at all.

"Edge, this is Charley", Bec introduced.

Charley was in awe. "It's so good to meet you!"

"So this is the famous Charley", Edge drawled. "I've heard a lot about you".

"Ahem- Loren", Guy said pointedly.

Loren blushed. "Shut up Guy!"

"It's okay, Loren", Garry said, squeezing her shoulders and kissing Ashleigh on the cheek. "Hey babe".

"Hey Ashleigh!" Charley said, just noticing Garry's girlfriend.

"Good to have you back, bud. It's been quiet without you here!" she smiled warmly at the sixth teenager, before embracing him in a hug.

"I highly doubt that", Charley said, glancing at the other five kids. They grinned innocently- like Bec and Garry, Charley could see right through the smiles.

Something was going on, and they weren't quite telling him.

Bec surveyed her family, smiling happily at how well they all got along. Having both Edge and Ashleigh there had made it perfect.


	17. Chapter 17

**I am so, so, so sorry for the lack of updates on this story! Please forgive me (and review). **

**Read and review, guys!**

**Love Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

"Anybody home?"

A voice was floating through the house, as the eight occupants hurried around to try and get ready on time. Training had run late, and the six teenagers were frantic about being late on their first day Bec.

"Angus!"

Garry nearly choked on his coffee. Bec pounded him on the back, as she moved around Loren and Adam- the two who were put on sandwich duty. Guy was wolfing down the remnants of his cereal, and Charley and Bridget were distributing snacks among the six lunchboxes on the bench, while Cassie tried to get together their pens and pencils.

"I can tell this isn't a good time", Angus chuckled dryly, surveying the scene that was taking place in the Solar Blue kitchen.

"No, it's just the kids are running a little late", Bec smirked as Guy hopped around the kitchen, trying to find his other shoe. As usual, it was pure and utter chaos.

"Heads up!" Adam announced, beginning to toss the water bottles out of the fridge. Garry ducked just in time, as Guy dived in to catch them- still wearing only the one shoe.

"Is it like this every morning?" Angus asked weakly.

"Actually, no", Bridget spoke up, an evil smile growing on her face. "Yesterday Adam tried to make pancakes".

"There's no need to go into details, Bridget Sanchez", Adam blushed.

"There are plenty of reasons to go into details, Adam Bridge", Guy teased back. "That image in permanently etched into my brain. I don't know how much therapy I'm gonna need-"

"Move on out!" Charley commanded, cutting Guy off.

"Bye Bec!"

"See ya Garry!"

"Have a good day!" Bec called, as the kids shoved themselves out the door.

"Be ready to train your butts off!" Garry added. Just the usual school morning send off for the heads of the Solar Blue boarding house.

"Welcome back, Charley", Angus greeted, just noticing the blonde surfer among the mess.

"Thanks, Angus!" Charley's reply was faint, as they thundered down the steps to the beach.

"Are they always like that?" Angus checked.

Garry took another sip of his coffee. "Almost always. Training ran late because I forgot school went back today, and their lunches weren't packed last night either because we all simply forgot- its chaos, Angus".

"Basically". Bec nodded, grinning. "Want a cup of coffee or something to eat? The kids have almost eaten us out of the house, but I'm sure we can find something".

If Edge had been there, he would have been laughing hysterically. When they were at Solar Blue, they were rostered to cook together, and their meals were pretty memorable. In the first week, they were given the instructions to cook sausages. Edge had told her that they would cook in half the time if they doubled the heat. Bec was always one for a challenge, so she suggested they try it.

"_To make them snappable without actually causing a fire. That's quite a feat". _

"_Someone told me eating burnt stuff gives you cancer". _

Those were the comments from their dear friends Heath Carroll and Perri Lawe. The other four had nothing to say- they just stared in horror. Another famous example was their spaghetti bolognese- without the spaghetti. That was in June- and the other kids had brought it up whenever spaghetti bolognese was on the menu.

"What's so funny?" Angus wanted to know.

"Just remembering the times I had in this kitchen when I was here". She blushed. "Sorry, lost in the past".

"Oh, you old cheese", Garry teased. "Coffee, Angus?"

"Thank you, Garry".


	18. Chapter 18

Read and review

Rhyleigh xoxox

* * *

"I'm going into town to do the shopping", Bec announced, after training. Bridget and Guy were in the kitchen, studying their English work, Cassie and Adam were in the pool room, stretched out over their science homework, and Loren and Charley were finishing off their history assignments in the lounge room. "The house is empty of eatables, so I'm going into town. Any requests?"

"We need ham for sandwiches!"

"Can you buy more fruit?"

"Ooh! Get more poppers. We ran out of poppers this morning".

"Can you get more Milo?"

"And I think we need more Cornflakes".

"And we totally need milk!"

"I'm on it". Bec, grinning to herself, headed out the door, stopping only to grab her car keys off the key rack by the door. The key rack that was barely ever used, and had never been used when Bec was a student.

"Guess whose birthday's next week!" Garry sang, coming in from the garage, sweating.

"Yours?" Guy said boredly, resting his head in his hands. He knew it wasn't Garry's, but it didn't hurt to throw out suggestions.

"Guy, concentrate!" Bridget said impatiently.

"No. don't you guys look at the calendar?" Garry said unbelievingly. "I have an awesome idea. She's twenty one, right?"

"Yeah", Cassie murmured from the pool room.

"Par-tay!" Guy cried in his usual charming, over the top way. "We're gonna par-tay like it's her birthday!"


	19. Chapter 19

**Read and review**

**Rhyleigh xoxox**

**PS: Good luck to the amazing Kate Bell who will hopefully pick up a Logie tonight!**

* * *

"_I could be your anything",_ Bec Sanderson sang, folding the Bridget's favourite towel into the towel cupboard.

"We're home!"

The cheerful voice of Charley Prince floated through the house, a grin evident on his face.

"What are you so happy about?" Loren Power wanted to know, wrapping an arm around the brunette.

"I'm just in a good mood". Bec blushed as she hugged Loren back, stuffing the stack of towels into the cupboard. "How was school?"

"Good mood, my butt", Guy Spender snorted. "you're planning something, aren't you, Bec?"

Garry Miller thundered down the stairs. "Hey guys, you're home! Ready for training?"

There were groans from both Cassie Cometti and Adam Bridge. "Gar-ree!"

"We got a lot of homework", Bridget Sanchez said.

"Since when did homework interfere with training?" Garry wanted to know.

Bec laughed. It was the same every afternoon, after every school day. The kids would breeze in, cheerful as they had ever been, and Garry would just depress them with the news of training.

They should be used to it by now, she thought.

"Hey Bec", Cassie called, heading towards the stairs. "What's for dinner tonight?"

"Yeah!" Guy brightened up at just the thought of food.

"Well, I'm going out, so Garry and I have decided you're getting pizza".

Shrieks of delight came from the six students.

Pizza, although a regularity for most teenagers was a rarity for anyone in the Solar Blue boarding house. It always had been. And, even though the kids were in charge of making dinner, Bec and Garry were in charge of grocery shopping.

And they always crossed 'pizza bases' off the shopping list.

"Where are you going, Bec?" Bridget wanted to know.

"Just out", Bec said mysteriously, breezing up the stairs behind the kids and slamming her door behind her.

Bec had been floating on cloud nine all afternoon, ever since her boyfriend had called and invited her out to dinner. It wasn't a big deal, but Bec hadn't been in the greatest mood before. The news that Edge knew that, and had asked her out just to distract her was just sweet. Giving her the news that he would pick her up at six had possibly made her the happiest person in Blue Water.

"Bec, are you coming down?" Garry called.

"There are still the dishes in the sink to do", Bec replied, opening her bedroom door again. "I'll do them and maybe come down later, 'kay?"

Garry shrugged as they made their way into the kitchen, watching Bec fill up the sink with hot soapy water. "Enjoy!"

"The dishes, Garry?"

"Take a joke, Bec".

"Get out of the kitchen, Garry".

* * *

After training, just like the three girls had done when Edge first asked Bec out again, they met in Bec's bedroom, to help her decide what to wear. Two dresses and two pairs of skinny jeans were set out on the bed, along with a selection of different tops.

"Wear the black jeans with the purple top and the black knitted cardigan", Loren suggested, as Bec observed her choices. "No dresses this time".

"No, the blue jeans with the orange top and the black knitted cardigan", Cassie objected. "It's too cold for dresses".

"Bridget, what do you think?" Bec queried.

"Um..." Bridget glanced at the outfits both Loren and Cassie had put together and grinned. "The purple and black. Sorry, Cass".

"It's alright", Cassie shrugged.

"Good choice", Bec observed, slipping into her bathroom. When she emerged five minutes later, she had gotten rid of the baggy track pants and the pink tank top she was wearing, dressing up in the outfit the girls had put together. "How do I look?"

"Very nice!" Bridget complimented.

"You look really pretty!" Loren said shyly.

"Gorgeous", Cassie declared.

It had become tradition, for the girls to help her choose clothes to wear on her dates. Just as Bec had helped the girls decide what to wear for their school dances, and occasions following.

Cassie quickly but carefully helped Bec apply makeup, and Loren brushed her hair into a high ponytail, before heading downstairs to help Garry and the boys decide which pizza toppings to choose.

"Which restaurant are you going to?" Charley wanted to know, as Garry wrote down their choices. The vote was unanimous- no anchovies.

"We're going to some Italian place", Bec reported. "I've never been there, but Edge says its amazing".

"Remember- be home by twelve". Garry's eyes were twinkling, as he heard the knock on the door.

"Don't burn the house down in my absence".

"We're getting pizza!" Adam cried.

"Have a good time, Cinderella!" Garry added teasingly.

Bec, giggling, opened the front door and was greeted by a kiss on the cheek by Edge.

"You would be stuffed if I didn't open the door", she told him.

"I knew it was you", he protested, leading her to his car. "Come on, I've made a reservation for six".

"Okay", Bec said, allowing Edge to help her into the passenger seat.

When Edge was also in the car, he brought up a point she had been avoiding with anyone who asked.

"It's your birthday next week". He restarted the car and waited for her reaction.

She shuddered. "Yeah, I know".

"Are you gonna celebrate?"

"Loren's insisting on making a cake, but she always does that".

"You're twenty one, Bec! That's something to celebrate".

"I haven't celebrated a birthday since we were at Solar Blue- I mean, do you remember how Fly's party turned out?"

"Even though Heath and Fly were almost arrested and Simmo and Deb nearly lost their jobs and there was a small fire in the front yard and Jilly's antique chair was wrecked does not mean it wasn't a great celebration".

"You should have stopped at the 'small fire' incident".

"Once again- small fire. If it was a big fire, I could see the logic in Simmo grounding us. He overreacted, I think".

Bec exploded into giggles, leaving a small smile on Edge's face.

"But why didn't you celebrate your birthday?" he persisted.

"Because I didn't want to. I was young and heartbroken, and hundreds of kilometres away from my family. I didn't see the need to. I mean, sure, they called me and everything, but its not the same as sharing your birthday with them. Especially Joe- I'm his twin sister and yet I wasn't there for our birthday".

"But-"

"Edge. I celebrated in my own way. A phone call home was enough of a celebration for me. I was in Brisbane, at uni, and my family was in Blue Water. That's quite the difference".

Edge nodded, keeping his eyes on the road, but still seeing his girlfriend from the corner of his eyes.

* * *

"So, what are you gonna get?" Edge asked, as they sat down at the table.

"I don't think I've been here before".

"Oh. I have".

Bec surveyed the restaurant. "It's really nice".

"I'm paying", Edge insisted, before Bec could get a word in.

"Edge-"

"Hey. I invited you, I'm paying. It's fair".

"When we were at Solar Blue we would always split it", Bec argued.

"When we were at Solar Blue, we were kids". Edge's voice was firm.

"Remember when we made spaghetti bolognese?" Bec checked.

Edge shook his head. "Without the spaghetti. Bec, why didn't you stop me?"

"Excuse me, it was your choice. I was just stirring the sauce. And I did blame it on you when I dished it up to the other guys".

"Have you seen the others?"

"Fly came down earlier in the year, and I spoke to Perri when I first came to Solar Blue- I kept in contact with Perri- but none of the others. Oh, apart from Anna. But, she doesn't really count".

"Anna doesn't count", Edge agreed.

And, just because it brought back memories from their year at Solar Blue, they both ordered spaghetti bolognese.

* * *

Edge steered his car into a parking space, getting out and letting Bec out of the passenger side. "Come on, Bec".

Bec allowed Edge to lead her out of the car, following him down to the beach. Edge pulled the brunette onto the sand, so they were both looking up at the stars and the moon.

"You know", he said thoughtfully, "When I was on the circuit, I would always go for a run at night and look up at the moon. And I knew that it was the same moon you'd be looking at here, in Blue Water. I missed you, Bec".

Bec felt tears prick in the back of her eyes. "Really?" she whispered.

Edge nodded. "Yep". Pulling her closer to him, their lips met in a gentle kiss.

"It's always the beach, isn't it?" Bec whispered.

"It's either the beach or the boarding house and you have seven stalkers", he said breathlessly.

"True, true". Bec leaned in to kiss him again.

They spent the next hour and a half on the beach, looking up at the sand, in each other's arms, just talking and killing time before Bec had to go back to the boarding house.

It was eleven thirty when Bec noticed the time- and almost had a heart attack.

"Edge, I've gotta get back", she tried.

"Come on, come back to my place", Edge begged, his hand creeping further and further up her thigh.

"Edge, no!" Bec slapped his hand away. "I live with six teenagers and a man who protects me like my father does. What are they gonna say?"

"Tell them you fell asleep on the beach?" Edge tried, fiddling with a stray curl, that had fallen out of the ponytail. Brushing sand from the side of her face, he grinned at her.

"Edge, they've set me a twelve o'clock curfew. They'll send out a search party if I'm not back in the house by that time- they've threatened to many times and I'm not gonna risk it".

"So you're like Cinderella?" Edge's eyes were sparkling.

"Exactly-"

Bec was cut off with Edge's lips meeting her own. And, just like the first time, back as a sixteen year old, she almost melted. She relaxed into his grip, his blue eyes meeting her hazel ones.

Bec didn't want to admit it, but she was in love.

* * *

Bec stuck the key in the lock, giving Edge one final kiss. "I've got to go!"

"I'll call you tomorrow", Edge promised.

Grinning, Bec swung open the door, unable to wipe the grin off her face. In the darkness she slipped off her shoes and relocked the front door, padding through to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

"You're in late, Cinderella", Garry observed, leaning against the sink. "It's almost midnight".

Bec shrieked a profanity and glared at her housemate. "Garry! What the hell is wrong with you?"

Even though she had basically just had a heart attack, she couldn't get the smile off her face.

"Where are the kids?" she checked, not even waiting for an answer. Reaching for a glass from the cupboard, she glanced at him.

"The boys are in the pool room, but I think the girls went to bed. They called out their goodnights, so I'm assuming they're in bed".

Bec sighed. "They aren't in bed, Garry".

"It's midnight, Bec".

"They're talking", she looked at him. "Do I have to draw you a map?"

"Good date?"

"Very good, actually".

"Sharing details?"

"No we aren't". Bec flashed him a grin.

"After that smile, I don't think I want to know". Garry grinned right back at her.

"Night, Garry". She pecked a friendly kiss on his cheek before taking her glass of water into the lounge room- where she found all three boys playing Mario Kart. "Hey guys!"

"How was the date, Bec?" Charley wanted to know, not even glancing away from the screen.

"It was good. Come on, I think we need to wrap this up. It's a long weekend, you can continue this tomorrow night".

"Well, they'll want to pack up anyway", Guy sighed theatrically. "I mean, I was beating them, anyway".

"Yeah right!" Adam cried.

"Come on, training's in the morning", Bec told them.

Sighing heavily, Charley flicked off the console, storing the three remotes they had been using in the chargers. "Night, Bec".

"Good night, boys. See you in the morning".

Calling their good nights to Garry, the three boys ascended up the stairs, Bec following. Knocking on Loren and Bridget's door, Bec slipped in, to find all three of them huddled on Loren's bed, giggling hysterically.

"Hey girlie girls!" Bec said brightly.

"How was the date, Bec?" Cassie asked eagerly, scooting over so Bec could take a seat.

"Wonderful". Bec sighed dreamily, the smile growing on her face.

Loren sighed, resting her head on Bec's shoulder. "Aw, that's sweet".

Bec grinned. "How was dinner?"

She wouldn't lie- she had always found it easier talking to the girls rather than talking to Adam, Guy or Charley. Sure, she could joke around with the boys, but the girls had opened up to her. Garry had often complained about the relationship she had with Cassie, Bridget and Loren.

"Awesome", Cassie giggled.

"You should go out on dates more often", Loren teased.

"And miss out on your cooking, Loren?" Bec teased right back. "Edge loves it just as much as we do- it would be a tragedy to miss it".

"That's the only reason I'm here, isn't it?"

Bec grinned and stroked stray strands of hair off the blonde's face. "Yep".

"We knew it!" Cassie cried.

"Hey, the boys have gone to bed", Bec quietened them.

"Are we gonna hear details?" Bridget wanted to know.

"You and the details, missy! You won't tell me the details when you go out with a guy, why should I repay the favour!"

"Hey, Loren and Cassie don't tell you, either!"

"Yeah, but I'm not an idiot. Its either movies or bowling or putt putt golf- which Garry or I have to drive you to. And dinner. You have a laugh, you kiss the guys and you're back home tucked in your separate beds by ten", Bec recited. She knew their schedule.

"So you mean there's more to your dates?" Cassie teased.

Bec's face turned scarlet when she realised just what exactly Cassie was implying. "Cassie Cometti!"

"Ooh, Bec!" Bridget teased.

"Oooh!" Loren giggled.

"There shall be no more said on this topic". Bec could feel the heat radiating off her body, and was certain she had left a mark on Loren, who was still leaning against her. "This is completely inappropriate".

"Hey, we didn't bring it up", Bridget reminded her.

Bec just laughed. "I don't know how Garry manages to see straight through you".

"He's a male, Bec", Cassie nodded. "They see through things".

Bec grinned. "I'm off to bed, girlies. Don't stay up too late".

"Bec?" Bridget asked, as Bec stood up.

Bec looked at the younger blonde curiously. "Yes, Bridget?"

"You're head over heels, aren't you".

It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes I am".

"Do you love him?"

The second question sounded more serious, but even then Bec didn't have to search for the answer.

"Yes I do".


	20. Chapter 20

**I am so sorry for not updating! Please read and review, **

**Love Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

"Happy birthday, Bec!"

Bec looked shocked, as she stood at the bottom of the stairs. The kids were wearing party hats, as helium balloons floated around the room.

"Happy birthday Bec!" Guy squeaked.

Only moments before, Adam had pumped Guy full of helium. It hadn't worn off yet, and Adam was chortling with laughter.

Bec just stared at Guy and laughed.

Cassie let out a deep breath- that was not the sort of reaction she expected from their older 'sister'.

"Happy birthday, Bec", Edge whispered softly in her ear, as she wrapped her arms around him. "You hate me?"

"Completely". Bec kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Edge".

"Hey, Bec!" Charley said cheerfully. "We made a cake!"

"Loren made a cake", Cassie corrected.

"We stood around and looked pretty", Guy squeaked, making Adam double over with laughter.

"I seriously hopes that wears off", Bec commented. "I'm never gonna be able to look at you seriously again".

Garry looked up guiltily, a balloon behind his back.

"Please tell me you didn't just inhale helium".

"I didn't inhale helium", Garry squeaked.

There was laughter from everyone in the room.

That night, they had pizza (the kids were cheering) and oven fries. Loren's chocolate cake was brought out, with coos of delight (from the kids and the adults), and Garry flicked off the lights. As Edge lit the candles, they warbled out 'happy birthday'.

"My ears are ringing", Garry complained, as Bec puffed out the candles, her eyes squeezed shut.

Edge smiled- she hadn't changed since she turned sixteen. They went out to the Purple Iguana (it had been a tradition in their year to take the birthday child to the small cafe), and Bec had kept her eyes shut as she blew out the candles.

And he loved her just as much as he had when they were sixteen.

Neither of them had changed.

* * *

"Come on", Edge grinned, hauling Bec away by the arm. "Look, this was the kids' ideas".

"I love it", she replied honestly, following him down to the beach. "It was just a little bit of a... shock, I suppose. I haven't celebrated my birthday since I was sixteen".

He pulled her down onto the sand, a grin growing on his face. "Yeah, I know. You mentioned that before".

The two sat in silence, Bec leaning against him.

Then Edge broke the verbal drought, with words that he had been trying to say since he was back in Blue Water.

"Bec?"

"Yeah?" she murmured, turning around to face him.

"I love you". His cheeks were red, as he spilled his heart out to his girlfriend.

Bec's eyes widened and she kissed his lips. "Me too".

* * *

"Hey girly girls", Bec whispered, knocking on Bridget and Loren's bedroom door. All three girls were on Loren's bed, under the doona, giggling. "Thanks for the party, I loved it".

"You're welcome", Bridget said, her eyes shining.

"Where did you and Edge disappear to?" Cassie wanted to know. Then she saw Bec's furious blush. "On second thought..."

"No, no, no", Bec said, making Loren squeal with laughter. "Edge and I went down to the beach. He... he told me he loved me".

There were squeals coming from the girls' bedroom, way into the night, as they giggled over stories about dates- both good and bad.


	21. Chapter 21

**Read and review!**

**xoxox Rhyleigh**

* * *

"Come on, guys, you're gonna be late!" Garry chided.

As usual, the kitchen was chaos. Bridget was tossing around their PE uniforms, hoping to throw them to the right person, and Adam was in charge of making their sandwiches. Charley was adding the sandwiches, a banana, an apple and an orange juice popper to the lunchboxes, and Cassie was handing out their water bottles. Guy? He was hopping around, trying to locate his other shoe.

And finally, they were out of the door.

"I'm gonna miss them", Garry said fondly, draping an arm around Bec. "What kind of kids do you think we're gonna get next year?"

"Hopefully ones just like these".

They'd all miss Charley's hot-headed arguments, the ones he had with Cassie. They were the two who butted heads the most- but they loved each other. They'd miss Loren's sweet smile, and Bridget's organisational skills (without her, they would never get out the doors in the morning). Adam was level-headed in a crisis, and Guy was the lame joker.

In the office, Bec looked at the scores. All six of them were neck in neck- their yearly exams and the final surf off would determine their spot for the wildcard. Bec had called up a guest judge for their final surf off- knowing they would be just as nervous as she and her friends were when it was their turn.

It was then that her mobile started to ring- and Edge's name was flashing on the screen.

"Hey Edge", she said cheerfully, answering it and holding it to her ear.

Her boyfriend's voice was serious. "We need to talk".


	22. Chapter 22

**Since you asked so nicely, chickadee, here's an update, just for you. And the thought of Peter stalking me is enough to make me projectile vomit, over everything and anything (including you). A certain teacher would know too much on the topic of Peter... lol, call me! Read and review!**

**Love Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

"We need to talk".

They were possibly four of the worst words in the entire English language. Nothing good ever came of those four words. When Bec and Edge were students at Solar Blue, that was how Perri broke the news to Matt when she kissed Edge. That was how Fly had brought up the caravan incident with Heath...

And neither of those times worked out to be a good thing.

"Okay", Bec said slowly, trying to calm her racing heart. "When and where?"

She reached over to the tissue box and packed her pockets with tissues- Edge had hurt her once before, and while it may have taken her three or so months to get over the crying, she needed to be prepared. And she needed to warn Garry, just in case she reverted back to her hermit-like ways, upstairs in her bedroom.

"The beach, twenty minutes".

"Okay. I love you".

"Love you too".

Bec put the phone down and ran into the kitchen, where Garry was making what was probably his third cup of coffee.

"Who was on the phone?" he asked conversationally, leaning against the bench, a grin on his face.

"I think Edge wants to break up with me!" Bec wailed.

Garry was on high alert. "What is the matter with you? The boy worships the ground you walk on, I saw him the other night! When he picked you up for your date the other week, he was almost drooling when he saw what you were wearing. He loves you, Bec! God, there's something wrong with you".

The last part was said with a laugh and a peck to her cheek, making Bec blush furiously.

"He said 'we need to talk'", she objected.

"Yeah, well, that could mean anything. It could mean he wants to jet off to Auckland for the weakened with you, it could mean there's going to be a Solar Blue reunion held in our backyard, or it could mean he's going on another surfing comp", he said practically. "I'm not a mind reader, Bec, you tell me".

"I'm going down to the beach", Bec said dully, like she was taking her death march. Shuffling over to the door, she forced a grin in Garry's direction. "Wish me luck!"

"Drama queen", Garry teased.

Edge was already on the beach when she arrived- so much for their twenty minutes.

"Hey!" Bec called, her heart already beginning to race. She wondered if there was ever going to be a time when she saw him and her heart did not begin to beat, cracking her ribs and bursting out of her chest. When she was a teenager, she had giggled and blushed- and everyone had blamed it on her being a teenager.

At twenty one, what was her excuse?

Pure, simple, head over heels love.

"Hey!" Edge's face broke into a grin, using the back of his hand to casually wipe sweat off his face. "How are you?"

She greeted him with a gentle kiss. "Good, yourself?"

"I'm... okay, I guess". He pulled her down to her knees, making her squeal with shock.

"Just okay?"

"Yeah, well, I'm a little nervous", he defended.

Bec felt her stomach drop. "Okay..."

"Bec, I love you, you know that, right?"

_I was so right! Rebecca Louise Sanderson, you are an idiot for giving him a second chance! You should have learned when you were sixteen, but you didn't. This is what you get, Bec. You get a broken heart and six teenagers to look after. You aren't a teenager anymore! I told you so!_

"You aren't breaking up with me, are you?" her voice wavered and she bit her lip nervously.

"What?" Edge had the nerve to laugh. "No, no, no. no, I'm not".

Bec let out a breath she hadn't even known she was holding.

"What I'm trying to say is... Bec Sanderson, will you marry me?"

Bec's heart nearly stopped with pure, utter shock.

She though he was going to break up with her. She had a million and one thoughts running through her head- from memories from their time at the academy to their last date a weekend ago. The thought of marriage had never crossed her mind- in fact; she'd never pictured herself to be the marrying type. She had never been the girl who sat down with her friends and said 'by this age I'll be married with this many kids'. That had not been her style.

And yet, if she was going to marry anyone, she wanted it to be Dean Edgely.

He was the love of her life- and although he had broken her heart when they were sixteen, she had never stopped loving him. The pair had been friends before they even thought about a relationship. There was nothing more they loved to do, their housemates had concluded, than argue. They had fought the attraction and the chemistry for six months- and then finally, in a hospital of all places, had admitted it. The other Solar Blue kids had been so glad they had finally admitted it, they threw Bec a party. They called it a 'because you couldn't go to Tahiti we bought Tahiti to you' party (complete with plastic palm trees in her bedroom and leis), but Perri had admitted to Bec, in the dead silence of the night that it really was a 'realisation party'.

Bec Sanderson wanted to be Mrs Dean Edgely. She wanted to have little surfer babies (their children would spend as much time down on the beach, growing up, as both Bec and Edge had).

"Yes!" she kissed him on the lips, sealing the deal.

Their wedding would have to have Bec's kids there- after all, the six teenagers were the reason they were together at all. Anna and Joe would be there, for obvious reasons, and there was nothing Bec would love more than to have Fly, Heath, Perri and Matt attending. Even Deb and Simmo would be magical.

But first, she had to tell Garry.

Edge slipped the ring onto her finger, a huge smile plastered across his face. "Bec Sanderson, did I ever tell you how much I love you?"

"Tell me again", Bec said coyly, batting her eyelids flirtatiously at him.

"I love you".


	23. Chapter 23

**This story'll probably be wrapping up soon... and the song used in both this chapter and the summary is 'Your Anything' by Taylor Swift. Just in case you didn't know. Read and review, please!**

**Love Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

"_I could be your baby blue jeans, with the holes in the knees, in the bottom of the top drawer_", Bec sang, as she headed towards the house- a skip in her step. "_I could be your little beauty queen, just a little outta reach, or the girl living next door. I'll be your angel giving up her wings, if that what it means to be your anything_".

Garry greeted her at the door. What he had learned, living with Bec, that when she was happy, she sang to herself. Sometimes the lyrics were just little ditties she made up on the spot, some were actual songs. This time, it seemed it was a song. The proper songs meant good things had happened- at least, that was what he had observed.

"I gather there wasn't a breakup?" he said dryly.

Bec flung her arms around his neck, showing him the rock. "I'm getting mar-ried!"

"Congratulations!" Garry scooped her off the ground and spun her around in excitement. "That is so cool! When are you getting married?"

"I don't know".

"Oh".

"He proposed to me literally fifteen minutes ago. I had enough trouble containing my screams".

"Do your parents know?"

"Yeah, I think I better let them know". Bec let go of her housemate and padded excitedly towards the office- where she had left her mobile, after the fateful conversation she had with her boyfriend less than an hour earlier.

Being with Edge had always- since she was a sixteen year old- made her happy. They didn't have to be doing anything- just sitting there was good enough for her. One day when they were at Solar Blue, Simmo had sent the seven lovesick teenagers out for a canoe ride, a six kilometre canoe paddle, up to the end of the river and back. They had paddled two hundred metres from where Deb had dropped them off, climbed out of the boats and sat on the grass in the park. They sat there for an hour and a half before Jilly sprung them on her way back from the shops. Deb and Simmo had just sighed.

And even though they had gotten into trouble, it had been worth it.

Because the seven teenagers were as close as they came.

And Bec would give anything to have all of them back in her life.

* * *

"I got your message, Bec, is everything alright?" Charley burst through the door of the office, followed by the other five.

"Yeah, are you and Garry okay?" Cassie demanded.

"Calm yourselves, guys, we're both fine", Garry said, a smile on his face.

Maybe sending every child a message saying 'don't dawdle home its important' hadn't been the best thing to do. All six of them were bright red in the face and neither of the two would disagree in saying they ran the entire way back to the boarding house.

"I'm getting married!" Bec sang.

There were three ear-piercing shrieks from the girls, as congratulations arose from every single person.

Bec had known, from the beginning of the year, that 'her' kids would be different. Every group of kids still kept in some form of contact- whether it was emails or postcards, text messages or phone calls... even a cheerful, teasing message on a Facebook wall was comforting. Her kids would keep in contact, no matter what. They were close, and the time they spent apart would only bring them closer. When Charley went back to Perth, the other five pined for him.

The year was nearing and end, and Bec knew for sure.

They would never, ever lose contact.


	24. Chapter 24

**Read and review!**

**Love Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

"It's not really time for them to go home yet, is it?" Garry whined to Bec, like a small child.

She laughed. "Not yet, Garry. Three more weeks- its gone fast, hasn't it?"

"Too fast", he admitted, sliding onto his desk chair. "Where are they, anyway? The house is way too quiet".

The house was only silent when Charley was doing the vacuuming. He sucked up anything and everything in his way, no matter what.

"They're on a picnic- they took the volleyball net too. what about the points? They're so close it's not funny".

She pointed to the whiteboard the kids' scores were written up on.

"It's weird", Garry nodded. "After the finals in your year, what did you do?"

"Solar Blue got the surf club for the night. we ended up asleep there".

"Want to do that? But not sleeping there".

"Okay. And Loren's birthday's coming up, too. We need to get a table at the Purple Iguana for her".

"Edge and Ash as well?"

"Why not".

"Okay, give them a call tomorrow. Have they gotten their exam results yet?" Garry wanted to know.

"No, but Guy's dreading it. They've all passed, I know, because I spoke to the principal".

He laughed. "You have to know these things, don't you?"

"For your information, he called me!" Bec said hotly, her face flaming. "And yes, I do like to know if the kids we've been looking after all year have passed their exams! They're in year ten- the exams are major!"

"Okay, okay, you've made your point. When's their formal?"

"Do you not read their newsletter?"

"I didn't know they had one!" he sounded genuinely shocked- just like the boys had when Loren, Cassie and Bridget informed them the school had a newsletter. And believe it or not, the school had a library as well!

"It's next week- I went shopping with the girls on Saturday to get their dresses, remember?" Bec sounded exasperated.

"I wasn't home on Saturday, remember?" Garry snapped.

"Well they look gorgeous. And Cassie said the boys have hired suits- they all have something casual and nice to wear to their announcement night. Bridget told me".

"Okay". Garry sighed, leaning on his hand. "I still can't believe the year's almost over!"

"I know!" Bec sighed. "When I was here, the year seemed to drag on forever, but when you're the head of the academy, it flies by!"

Garry laughed. "I wonder what kind of kids we'll get next year?"

Bec looked thoughtfully at the photo of the eight of them on her desk. Angus had taken it on day one, right after they had met. They were smiling but Bec couldn't imagine having the kids she knew then back now. They had changed so much. "I don't know. But these kids are special".

"That they are". Garry nodded.

"We're home!" Adam called loudly, as the screen door slammed.

"In the office!" Garry announced.

The kids trooped in, their faces shining.

"How was the picnic?" Bec wanted to know.

"It was good", Bridget said, grinning profusely.

Bec and Garry exchanged knowing glances- neither of them knew what happened on the picnic, but from the smiles on their kids' faces, they knew it was something good.


	25. Chapter 25

**Review!**

**xoxox Rhyleigh**

* * *

On the day of their formal, the kids didn't go to school. They got up early for training, as usual, and ate a quick breakfast. The boys went back down to the beach, and the girls went to the pool.

It was after lunch, however, Bridget, Cassie and Loren took over the girls' bathroom.

"Where are the girls?" Garry wanted to know, coming into the lounge room. Bec was sitting on the lounge, a TV Week magazine in her hands.

"Intensely beautifying themselves". She grinned, as Garry sighed.

"I'm assuming we won't be seeing them for a while?"

"Not a hope".

The invitations to their formal said the kids had to be at Solar Blue High by five thirty. They had eaten lunch at twelve, and the girls were in the bathroom by twelve thirty.

"Girls?" Bec asked, knocking on the bathroom door.

"Come in!" Bridget called.

Bec slid in, to find the girls standing there in their bikinis, getting ready. Cassie had jars, tubes and bottles of makeup lined up on the vanity. Bridget had a hair straightener, a hair dryer and a curler plugged in at the wall, resting on the shelf. Loren was getting the bottles of shampoo and conditioner out of the cupboard, lining them up on the ledge of the shower.

"Whoa", Bec said, surveying the bathroom. "This is almost as bad as our announcement night!"

"What happened?" Loren asked. They still enjoyed Bec's stories, even though all three girls- and the boys- had heard them many times over.

"Andrew- the head of Solar Blue, like Angus is- gave the seven of us two hundred dollars each. Fifty dollars an hour. Anna, Perri, Fly and I went shopping, and tried on ridiculous nine hundred dollar wedding dresses. in the end, we went for simple things. I bought the green dress you saw, Fly wore light blue, Anna wore pink and Perri opted for... yellow, I think it was".

Loren sighed, probably picturing the entire thing.

"After Andrew made the announcement, we partied. We partied like there was no tomorrow. Fly fell asleep on the dance floor- Fly's like you, Loren, she's the baby of my year".

Loren blushed, and Cassie and Bridget laughed.

"What about your formal?" Cassie checked.

Bec looked down. "Well, that one didn't turn out as well. Heath punched Edge in the nose and he bled all over the floor of the hall".

"Our hall?" Bridget checked, before shuddering. "Why?"

"Because I went to the formal with Heath- yeah, don't ask- and Edge took Fly to a beach twenty minutes away, with Heath's jet ski". Bec shrugged.

"Oh, how silly of us not to have known that", Cassie said sarcastically, towelling her hair dry. "Any particular reason why, Bec?"

"Because Edge wanted to use the jet ski before Heath sold it, and the plan backfired. He crashed it on the way back".

"Well, that was unexpected". Loren giggled, before attacking her skin with a bar of soap and climbing into the shower.

* * *

"Aw, how gorgeous do they look?" Bec asked, delighted.

Their six kids were standing at the top of the stairs, while Bec and Garry peered up at them, cameras in hand.

"The next time we'll be doing this will be their announcement night", Garry reminded her.

Bec laughed and put an arm around her housemate. "There'll be many more times, buddy boy. Many, many more times".


	26. Chapter 26

**Please review!**

**Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

"Just try your hardest, okay, guys?" Garry checked, as he pulled down a box of cornflakes. Setting it on the table, he heard multiple sighs. "That's all that counts, that's all we want. Bec and I will be so proud of you, no matter what the results are".

Seeing the kids down in the kitchen, almost shaking with nerves, brought back so many memories for Bec. For her year, it had been different. They had come home from school, as excited as they could get, ready for a night of partying before the full on intense training, ready for their finals, began. But those plans were blown out of the water, when Deb Callum told them that their finals were not in a week, like they thought.

They were the next day.

A cyclone was predicted to hit Blue Water Beach, and they needed to get the finals out of the way before it did. That night, clouds of worry had floated around their bedrooms, as Bec went back to her childhood home (she needed the space, away from the other girls), and Edge camped out in the back yard in his little one man tent. They had expected the worst, and the worst was what the cyclone threw up for them. instead of having the hundreds of spectators the Solar Blue finals would normally have (Bec could remember being there, ever since she was a little girl, to see the sort of competition she would be facing when she was finally accepted), they had Simmo, Deb and Andrew (Jilly couldn't bear to see their kids battle it out). Bec had positively begged her parents and brothers not to come, and they hadn't.

It was one of the most nerve wracking days of her entire life- but the end result was well worth it. She would have changed anything, in her life.

Suddenly there was a knock at the front door, and Bec excused herself to answer it- she knew exactly who it was. She had planned it, to have her old coaches back as surprise judges.

"Oh my God!" she almost squealed, when, upon opening the door, she found Simmo and Deb. Deb pulled her into a hug, a huge smile on her face.

"You've done a good job with the kids, Bec". Simmo had a small but proud grin on his face- he was very good at hiding his emotions, but Bec knew how he felt. "We're proud of you".

"What's this we hear about Edge?" Deb wanted to know. She had been the calmer of the two when Bec was a teenager- she didn't wear a whistle around her neck or plaster the walls with 'no kissing zone' signs. That had been Simmo's area.

"Hey, hey, hey". Simmo held up his hands. "I don't want to know".

Bec was laughing. "Come and meet our kids, guys".

Garry was still talking to the kids when they arrived in the kitchen.

"Guys, these are Deb and Simmo- my coaches from when I was here", Bec introduced. "Deb and Simmo, I'd like you to meet our kids. Loren, Charley, Bridget, Guy, Cassie and Adam".

"Nice to meet you!" Guy had a look of awe on his face- they all did. They had only heard stories of the two oh-so-famous coaches, when Bec and Edge told them. Bec had a grin on her face, as Simmo and Deb interacted with the kids separately.

It was right then that both Bec and Garry were glad that they had investigated the guest judging status.

* * *

Bec and Garry had never been more proud of 'their' kids. They had surfed their hearts out on the waves, putting their heart and souls into the moves they pulled off. But, as opposed to the other competitions they had been in throughout the year, the scores were kept a secret.

That afternoon, the kids disappeared upstairs to change out of their wet swimmers and into something decent, for their big announcement.

"I am so proud of them", Bec smiled, as she heard shrieks and giggles from upstairs.

"They're our kids". Garry had a grin on his face, as the distinct yelp of Cassie was held. "They're the greatest kids in the world".

They were exactly like proud parents- the six teenagers had wormed themselves a permanent position in the hearts of the older two.


	27. Chapter 27

Please review!

**Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

Piling into the Solar Blue van, Garry steered the beast towards the surf club- the hall they had booked for their announcement ceremony. The kids were sitting in the exact same spots they had claimed at the beginning of the year- they hadn't changed. Chattering excitedly among themselves, about the year that had passed oh-so-quickly, Bec snuck a look in the review mirror at them. Their faces were red with excitement- they were glowing. Cassie had a camera in her hand, and had already taken quite a few van shots.

They had never been more eager in their lives.

"Par-tay!" Guy enthused, sliding open the door.

Five teenagers tumbled out after him, earning laughter from their older housemates.

Seeing the surf club hall decorated to the nines brought even more memories flooding back. She could see herself with her arms wrapped around Edge, as they danced to a slow song- almost hearing his promises being whispered in her ear. She saw Fly asleep in Heath's arms, as he carried her to the edge of the dance floor. She saw Matt and Perri grooving to the beat, Anna and Joe laughing along. She saw Andrew with the microphone, Simmo standing among the group of almost-graduates, ready to hear the answer. She could hear Deb's encouraging voice, urging the two winners up onto the stage. She could feel the girls' squeezing each other's hands, as the four formed a circle. She could hear the rain on the roof, as the eight teenagers crashed in the middle of the dance floor, tangled up in streamers and confetti, as half-deflated helium balloons floated around.

She hoped that her group of kids would keep in better contact than her group did. Granted, it had all worked out in the end, but not after a lot of drama. The engagement ring on her finger proved it to everyone.

Without the six teenagers in her life, she would have been stuck doing the job she hated.

She wasn't. She was back at Solar Blue, the place she had loved the most. She was doing what she loved best, and nothing, nothing could beat it.

But the thing that Bec was dreading was saying goodbye.

* * *

"Could I have your attention?" Garry asked, holding up the microphone. "I know it's been a long day, but we can't let it go by without giving our winners their awards". He motioned towards Bec, handing her the microphone. "Bec?"

Bec took the microphone, the speech she had written being played out in her head. She had rewritten it a million times during the year, and yet she didn't know where to begin. "this has been an amazing day, to end what has been, an amazing year. And I'd like to thank Cassie-"

Cassie Cometti, her blue eyes shining with excitement, her hands latched with Loren and Adam. The fiery brunette Bec and Garry had met at the beginning of the year. Bec saw her vulnerability when on the crutches, her sweetness with Adam and her blushing, shy, giggly side when the late night pillow fight between all the girls uncovered her heart.

"-Bridget-"

Bridget Sanchez, her face spread in a wide grin, standing in between Loren and Guy. The gorgeous blonde girl Bec and Garry had met. Bec had seen her go through a whole range of emotion- tears when she realised Guy might not have been her Prince Charming after all, excitement when she blitzed the first competition, and the giggles during the late night pillow fights.

"-Loren-"

Loren Power's chocolate brown eyes shone, her cheeks turning red with embarrassment. Garry was giggling slightly, next to Bec- Loren had changed in a lot of way, but getting embarrassed so easily was classic Loren. Bec saw the tears when Charley left, the pure joy and excitement when Charley came back, and her huge, pumping heart, when her arms went straight out to Bridget and Cassie after a competition. Bec could almost hear her sweet giggling from the late night pillow fight. Loren, their baby, was the one everyone told everything but could take a secret to the grave. Her heart was a thousand shades of gold.

"-Adam-"

Adam Bridge, reporting for duty. His afro was sticking up even more so than usual, and his eyes were bright, as he stood between Guy and Loren. Bec saw had seen every side of him at least once in the past year- blowing up at Garry and herself in the summer, sweet and gentle with Cassie, and competitive in the water. They loved every single bit of Adam and he knew it.

"-Guy-"

Guy Spender grinned goofily, the same smile Bec, Garry and the other kids had loved throughout the year. She saw the clumsy child he was when they first met, and she saw the mature young man standing in front of her. She saw his sluggish pace while crawling downstairs for training, she saw his Ferrari-like pace while on a surfboard, she saw his charming, joking side with the other kids. Guy was the kind of person that you couldn't help but like, and for that, they all loved him.

"-And Charley, for making it that way".

Charley Prince grinned up at Bec and Garry, the smile on his face growing wider. Out of all the kids, Charley had changed the most. At the beginning, he was an outcast, rebelling against everything the other kids said. As the weeks went on, he became more involved with the others, even cracking a few jokes. By the time he got sick, they couldn't love him more. But they did- their complete joy when they came back was hilarious. Charley had a million and one sides and he showed them all at the same time.

"We've had good times and bad times through the twelve months, sharing tears and laughter, jokes and injuries- some more than others".

Charley, Adam, Guy, Bridget and Loren laughed as Cassie blushed scarlet. She had had her fair share of injuries during the year- more than her fair share, according to Garry.

"Moments have been shared and memories have been formed, that will last a lifetime. All the good, the bad and the ugly. We'll never forget how Solar Blue smashed everyone in their first competition of the year-"

She was cut off by the kids' laughter- they all remembered how Bec had raved on that night. She couldn't have been prouder of them.

"And we won't forget the tears that surrounded Charley leaving for Perth".

Charley grinned sheepishly, as Guy and Adam 'awwwed'. The girls just laughed.

"But, of course, we can't let me ramble on without announcing the winners. The winners from Solar Blue Academy for 2008 are Bridget Sanchez-"

The girls screamed as Bridget's jaw hit the ground in shock.

"And Adam Bridge".

Adam grinned proudly, as Cassie squeezed his hands and the boys congratulated him. there were blinding flashes, as Cassie took photos of the two winners (the photo that would undoubtedly go up on the office wall), as more congratulations were shared.

It was then that Bridget approached them, a worried look on her face.

"What's up, darlin'?" Bec wanted to know, giggling.

"I don't wanna go on the pro circuit any more". Suddenly, she looked like a little girl, and not the mature teenager they knew and loved. "I really want to go to university. I came here not knowing what I wanted to do with my life- surfing was always so important, and I was so, so thrilled when I was accepted. But I've been doing some thinking, you know, just in case I won, and I've decided that I want to go to university".

That threw a spanner in the works.

Loren and Cassie had gotten exactly the same scores on both the heats they had competed in- and their house and school work tally was identical. Bridget had won on the academic table, beating them by half a point in the surf off.

So Bec and Garry did the only thing that seemed logical, at that point.

They drew straws.

"you go first", Loren said shakily to her friend.

Cassie shook her head firmly. "no, you".

So Loren picked her straw- and it was longer than the one that Cassie drew.

"I'm so sorry Cass!"

Suddenly, both girls had tears streaming down their faces, as they hugged each other tightly.

Bec's heart went out to the four kids that lost. Bridget, Cassie, Charley and Guy. She had been in that position, four years ago, and it had hurt. But she knew that her kids would be alright. She had survived, and her kids were stronger than she was. They would never lose the bond the six teenagers had, nothing would let them.

They were too close.

* * *

"Guys!" Guy called. "Come on!"

"What are we doing?" Bec called over the music blasting out of the stereos.

"Come on, we need to do it". Guy grabbed Bec's hand, and pulled her towards the door. Bec's hand linked with Bridget, as Bridget reached for Garry's. The whole group, all eight of them, were connected by the hands.

"Mate, what are we doing?" Garry asked suspiciously.

"We, Garry, are going to enjoy Blue Water Beach to its best, one more time". Guy had a grin on his face, as he hauled them to the ocean pool they had swum laps in, time and time again.

"Guy-" Cassie began to protest, but was cut short by Guy's logic.

"Come on, we need to". Guy's cheeky smile was wiped away, being replaced by a look of seriousness. "When are we ever going to be back in Blue Water, in these exact same positions? We have to do it, Cass. It's like a bonding session- we're basically family, Cassandra".

Everyone knew not to call Cassie 'Cassandra'. It was a name she hated with a passion- the name that happened to be her full name.

"Come on!" Charley said enthusiastically. "Let's do it!"

So, with that, they began the countdown.

"One!"

"Two!"

"Three!"

With a splash, they landed in the water of the ocean pool, gripping tightly onto each others' hands, bursting out of the water with gasps and laughter.

"I can't believe we just did that!" Cassie laughed.

All eight were fully clothed and shoed, and were suddenly a lot heavier than they normally were. When they were swimming laps, they wore their cossies- boardies at the most.

But right then, no one cared. They were too busy enjoying Blue Water Beach to the fullest, before they farewelled it forever.


	28. Chapter 28

**Thank you everyone who reviewed throughout the duration of this story- I know its been a long time coming, but finally, I've reached the end! Please read and review one last time...**

**Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

Garry shoved the front door open, as his seven housemates followed him in the door. Bec had a wide smile on her face, and the kids were sleepy yet content- and completely dripping wet.

"We have to leave early in the morning, so make sure everything's ready, please", Garry told them. "And please try and get some sleep, if possible".

Two were living with a total energy high, and the other four were living off that. But, Bec knew, when their heads hit the pillow, they would crash harder than they had ever crashed before.

"Good night!" Charley was calm and casual, nothing like the boy they had known.

"See you in the morning!" Loren was bright and bubbly- just as they expected.

"G'night!" Cassie said sleepily, advancing towards the stairs. Bec had to laugh- she was still their Cassie- if she didn't get enough sleep she was grumpy and took it out on everyone who spoke to her.

"Thanks for everything, guys. See you in the morning". Bridget had a smile on her face, the girl who took charge, made sure everything was running smoothly.

"Nighty night!" Adam was almost laughing, as he farewelled his housemates for the last night.

"Until the morning comes!" Guy bowed dramatically, backing towards the stairs and tripping over his own feet. Blushing sheepishly, he scampered up the stairs. No matter what, he was their comic relief.

"They're gonna crash", Bec told Garry knowingly. "We did- and we were up early, to surf Blue Water Beach at its best, before we said goodbye. Do you think they'll do that?"

"I don't know, Bec. But Blue Water Beach'll never be the same".

Their lives would never be the same. Thinking about it, Bec would never, ever be engaged to be married if it weren't for her six meddling teenagers. She would have never had the courage to tell Dean Edgely what she had felt for four years, ever since they said goodbye.

It made her wonder... would the couples that were formed that year stick together? maybe, in a few years, she would be attending the wedding of Loren and Charley, or Cassie and Adam. Guy and Bridget were a working project, but one could dream.

She couldn't imagine life without Solar Blue Surf Academy. She had loved it when she was a teenager, and she loved it even more then. She had fallen in love both times- to the same boy. she would give everything she had to be whatever Dean Edgely wanted.

Solar Blue Surf Academy, the most prestigious surf school in Australia, had changed Bec Sanderson's life for the better.

Twice.

**I could be your favourite blue jeans  
With the holes in the knees  
In the bottom of the top drawer  
I could be your little beauty queen  
Just a little outta reach  
Or the girl livin next door  
I'll be your angel givin up her wings  
If that's whatchya need  
I'd give everything to be your anything**

**-Taylor Swift**


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